On Thin Ice
by Spring-and-Winter
Summary: If you follow the rules of the streets, you'll be fine; if you don't...don't leave your back exposed.
1. Prologue

On Thin Ice

Characters belong to Doug TenNapel

**Author's note:** I don't like flames or haters, but then who does. I do like constructive criticism as writing can always improve. That is greatly appreciated, thank you. Also, as a warning, the characters might be SLIGHTLY out of character. I tried to keep it close enough to their actual personalities but there was a LOT of guesses on how they would act. Also, there are going to be small spoilers, just warning you.

I hope you enjoy the story anyway.

Prologue

The streets can-and will- be mean nature; on some level even worse off than in an uncivilized territory like the jungles down south. At least when you were in that kind of territory you had the dense shelter of thick trunk trees and overgrown bushes and shrubs to keep you protected from any enemies or predators that would just love to rake their dagger like claws into your flesh.

In a place like a city, or relatively large town, the alleys could only keep you out of sight for so long…

Word travels faster in a place overcrowding with people…and animals.

The rules are simple: keep on the streets' good side and they'll serve you as you ought to be treated.

If you don't follow the nature of the streets however...well that's another matter-problem-all together, because if that's what you plan to do…

Don't leave your back exposed.


	2. Chapter 1

One

August

It started with a catapult.

In the quiet halls of a gorgeous mansion in a nice community, on a still calm street void of any sounds of a car's engine making its way through the work day or of children laughing and playing on the lawn, a trail of rather chunky, yellowish crumbs of cereal was seen leaving a trail. If one were to follow this said trail of grain, one would find that it leads out into the backyard of the owner, or _owners_ in this case, and find a grey, long eared, which were pressed down to his head because of the white helmet that looked like a bicycle helmet, and equally long tailed cat fumbling with an odd looking shape that looked much like how a spoon curves. It was large enough to make the feline arch back as the object was bigger than him, stretching to a height and width of, well who knows. Know that it went higher than the young cat's head.

A rectangular wooden base propped up on four large wheels was set up beside the fumbling cat, standing at a good ten feet. A handle, arching at a sixty degree angle, reached well out and above one side of the base and above the frequently mowed lawn. A lever stuck out to the side, obviously meant to twist and turn to how far back the handle was capable of going, close to the top, but several inches from where the last piece was to go. A ladder was built into the side, across from where the projector would be flung.

The grey cat shimmied up this ladder and, carrying the last piece on his back, slid his way up the handle (keep in mind that the handle is metal) to where the last piece was needed, which fit perfectly as he had followed the directions carefully. Sitting in the crook of the curved inside, the feline took out the box of cereal, now empty as constructing the object had tired him out and made him hungry, and looked over the back side one more time.

Chunky Munch, Munch Brand

Good for the brain! Now comes with an easy to assemble catapult!

Smiling, his rounded teeth sticking out the tiniest bit more than usual, he gave a gleeful 'Splee!" He liked cereal because the boxes usually contain a contraption of the oddest sorts, never mind how they managed to put all the necessary pieces together in one box, that he got to put together. His brothers certainly didn't care for them and normally don't notice that the cereal they get had something like a _catapult_ you can build inside…or on _one_ occasion an accurately size rocket ship. The outcome of that one was …

Never mind. That one was destroyed or misplaced somewhere. He really couldn't remember which and didn't care right then. He had a catapult he can fling himself from as another attempt for extreme sports or stunts, whatever it was being called nowadays.

Repositioning, the cat reached over and gripped the lever and cranks the catapult down, down, down. When he thought it would be a good fly, he released it. The lever spun around erratically and the mechanism sent the feline flying just as he had wanted.

Forget the fact that he was heading right towards a particular big window.

Meanwhile, crawling from under his violet, velvet quilts of his king bed, a short, pointy eared, and medium size tailed cat was just making his way from the Land of Sleep and across the border to Wakeful Pain in the Neck Time. In fact, trudging along in a plush bathrobe matching his quilts, his eyes were still shut, crusted with last minute clinging sleep as he made his way over to his big window. They were still remained shut as he drew the curtains and early morning sun rays shone dimly on his furry face. He opened the window up and stood there, a dazed smile, small, but still a smile, stretch on. He decided faintly that he would just stand there for a few moments and…

And allow him to get pummeled, _hard_, in the abdomen as something crashed headfirst into him. His eyes, strikingly yellow, shot open both in surprise and mild pain as both he and the grey cat tumbled along the rug, over the bed's surface and striking the head board of the black cat's bed, the grey cat's head smacking it. A loud snapping sound was heard and when both cats' twisted their head around to where it came from, a long and jagged crack, right down the middle, was seen.

The black cat was beside himself with annoyance and anger.

"Waffle, you bird for brains!"

…

"Honestly, laddie, one of these days you'll be waking up in the hospital, in the extensive care section."

Waffle, now sitting at the kitchen table, looked up, genuinely puzzled over what it was he had done that would imply him he'd be in the hospital. "Why; I didn't get hurt this time."

Gordon, an orange and white calico with a stub for a tail and had, for whatever inexplicable reason, a Scottish accent, the one that had addressed him, smiled his trademark smiles, the ones reserved for Waffle and, of course, his Human Kimberly, the neighboring girl from next door he was crushing on big time. "Aye, but ye been known to rough yourself up quite a bit in the past. Perhaps it's time for a break with your extreme antics; just for now laddie."

From somewhere within, most likely on the floor above the two cats, the black cat was still in a fit of his normal raging fit and impatience.

"Hovis, the crack is still visible you foolish, hairless ape!" Hovis was the butler for the cats.

Both cats winced at the shout and the slam of a door. Gordon added in hastily, "And it would do us all good to keep Mr. Blik's anger to the lowest minimum possible."

As if on cue, the eldest brother was heard storming down in their direction. When he entered, the look of burning anger was still evident and Gordon slightly shrunk down behind the island he was sitting at, his eyes the only thing visible. Waffle sat where he was, slightly uncertain.

Mr. Blik pointed accusingly at him, venom in his voice. "YOU, I want YOU out of the house for the _next_ TWENTY-FOUR HOURS!"

Waffle blinked, eyes down casted. "How long is twenty-four hours?"

Before Mr. Blik could holler another seething reply, Gordon spoke up. "Now Mr. Blik, don't'cha think that's a _wee_ bit harsh for a simple crack to your head board?"

The black cat turned on Gordon, who flinched, but didn't cower this time. "It hasn't just been the stupid head board! It's been everything else! The broken vases, potteries, instruments, even Hovise's _stupid what's-you-call-it_, his _own_ instrument! There are _holes_ in the walls that look like an _elephant_ has gone through! And don't say the _Kraken_ came for a visit either, because we _all_ know what _he's_ been up to these past months!"

Waffle scowled, or as much as he could consider he wasn't one to get easily angry often. "What's your point?"

"The point is you've been at your _ridiculous_ STUNTS for too long! The repairs are taking a toll on the fortune and I WON'T be wasting it because of your _stupidity_!"

"But-"

Mr. Blik just pointed to the door leading outside.

Waffle looked to Gordon who shrugged and said kindly enough, "Why don't'cha you go play at the park for today laddie while things cool off?"

Waffle pouted one second, two seconds, three seconds, then brighten into his usual self a little. "Okay," he replied and was out the door.

Gordon turned to Mr. Blik, wary and a bit sterner. "Got anything to say for this time?"

A smidgeon of raging fits was taken down a peg and Mr. Blik gave a groaning sigh. "That kid has gotta learn to smarten up is all I have to say on the matter now."


	3. Chapter 2

Two

It hurt like being prodded with a heated poker when he moved along in the back roads, furthering himself from the alleys.

Though if he doesn't distance himself from _those_ beasts, he'll be in for even more pain, suiting just fine in the category of the type Hell would dish out from a hat.

In the shadows of the trees planted at the edge of a path in some social area of sorts, the bulky figure stopped, heaving from having to literally drag himself away in shame with the horrible, torn gash in his side, and collapse onto his front. Lying on his side next, hissing from the jerky movements, the stranger examined the wound.

Bleeding, puss lining around the edges, and the urge to bite it as a poor way to ward it away was tempting.

In other words, it was going to soon be infected if he didn't get someone to take care of this mess and dress it. But how could he…

"Well, hello there," a sweet, lilting female's voice cooed.

The figure lifted his head up, still well covered up by the shadows, and saw a young girl, young enough to be around the age of nine. She had light, coppery skin, straight brown hair that fell just past small shoulders, and when she smiled, the figure couldn't help but think it was rather cute, she had a small gap in her teeth. She appeared unafraid of approaching an unfamiliar somebody.

He remained silent. The last thing he needed was scaring off a little girl too ignorant to stay away from certain strangers.

The young girl leaned in closer and at last noticed the nasty gash. A small gasp issued from her, but it was so tiny that only his small ears were able to catch it.

"Oh, you poor thing; how-who-don't you worry." She reached for him, the stranger too tired to even try to scamper away, gently tucked her small hands underneath him and lifted him up with such care the figure was taken aback how gentle such a young person was with one such as him. He looked up at her, puzzled and mildly put off at having to be handled like this.

He found himself enjoying it not a second later.

The girl smiled down at him, smiling a pure love smile only children can do. "Now don't you worry about a thing, I'm going to have you fix up in no time at all." With that, she was walking along easily, taking note not to jostle her little burden.

"By the way," she said as they ambled along, "my name is Kimberly. You're going to like where I'm taking you home to. It's a nice neighborhood, with nice people. And wait till you meet my friends from next door."

As she talked on, the stranger rolled the word _home_ around his tongue mentally. It was a strange, alien taste, but not unpleasant much to his disgruntlement.


	4. Chapter 3

Three

Before taking off for the park, Waffle had slipped back inside to get one of his pet newts from their tank to take with him so as he wasn't entirely alone. Right then he was doing a fantasized version of a car getaway.

"He turns a corner, tires squealing madly, nearly crashing into a fire hydrant in a mad attempt to get away from pursuing police cars. His tires cause skid marks, scree-"

"…and wait till you meet my friends from next door."

At the sound of the familiar voice, Waffle looked up; Gomez in his hand like paws, the little lizard's even tinier arms dangling over his owner's said appendages. He saw the side view of a girl and immediately recognize her as his neighbor, Kimberly, Human Kimberly as Gordon refers to her. He opened his mouth to greet her in his usual gleeful way ("Splee!") when he noticed the child carried something, or someone as he noticed a movement, and was interested in who Kimberly's new friend was. He couldn't quite tell who it was and tried straining his eyesight to try and figure it out.

As it turned out though, he didn't get the chance. The unmistakable roar of Gear's engine, the monstrous monster truck he and his brothers owned, came running to a stop on the road from across from where he was sitting.

"Waffle, get a move on will ya?" Blik shouted, impatient, but obviously cooled off from the morning.

Waffle stood and hurried across the street, looking before doing so, and nimbly hopped into the front, Gordon scooting over to make room for him.

He forgot about Kimberly's new friend; at least for the time being.

…

The tiny ears of the little guy twitched some as he heard a shout. However, he only heard the end as he had just started dozing off. He only gave a short ponder on who was shouting and why before dismissing it as trivial.

He moved himself closer to the girl and was completely asleep in just a few minutes.

…

From the cover of a tree's shade, the large shape of a canine, breed unrecognizable from the shadows, watched the grey feline play around with some lizard thing, trying to figure out if what he was looking at was a dog or not..

Just as he decided to make a move upon the oblivious kid, an obnoxious, large truck came screaming to a halt and an even more obnoxious voice, male, shouted clearly to the object of his minor interest to get moving. The dog peered closer to see who had unknowingly came to the aid of the kid, but wasn't sure at first who it was until he saw the cursed pointy ears. He grumbled at wasting his chance.

_Cursed, filthy cat…you always find a way to meddle in these moments,_ he snarled mentally, watching the grey feline climb aboard. He would have watched him depart had he not smelt a wound.

As well as a scent he had come to know before…

Turning in the scents' direction, he noticed with amazement at another interesting scene. It was a little Hispanic American girl, her scent so sweet it was unbearable, carrying a bundle in her arms. Looking more closely, he realized who the girl was stealing away with. He chuckles a grumbling, dark chuckle.

_So, you were blessed with an angel at the right moment eh? _

He forgot about the grey kid and went in pursuit of the girl and her new found friend.


	5. Chapter 4

Four

September

The month of August came and went in a flurry of humid summer days and the time to time paranormal antics of the cats. Waffle's extreme stunts had become lax if for the moment, much to Mr. Blik's appealing attitude. Perhaps he can have a chance to read the morning newspaper without having a mess of fur go rolling around or crashing into things, inevitably twisting a limb here and there.

Of course, if one knew Mr. Blik's life, nothing as simple as reading the paper could be rewarded without having to put up with some ridiculous notion.

Today, it was Gordon who bothered him. The thing he wanted: to visit the Human Kimberly.

Mr. Blik wasn't totally against the girl, had fallen for her for a brief time himself for her temper, but if he was pestered into visiting the child, say, at seven in the morning, then he'd phone call an institution for the mentally unstable people and make a warning that there was another ill person in need of treatment.

Gordon, in some ways, was just as persistent as Mr. Blik was for buying the newest and grossly expensive item on the market. Mr. Blik had a short patience for pestering and had given in to Gordon's insistency and found himself muttering inaudible insults under his breath as the three, Waffle all too happy to join in, made their way over to Kimberly's.

Gordon had his own lapse of patience with his brother. "It's not like it's the end of the world. She'll be off to school next week and then you can have all the time in the world for the paper."

"Yeah, yeah," muttered bitterly Blik.

…

Kimberly was already dressed and was just finishing combing her hair at the vanity, keeping a close eye on the sleeping friend on her bed, curled up under covers. His snoring was a quiet grunt, causing her to smile.

When she had brought him home that day with the gash in his side to her mother, her mother could deny her nothing when it came to the health of animals. The two drove to the vet on the other side of town, got the poor guy stitched up and managed to ward off the infection just in time before it could spread. They were told to keep the critter inside for the time being so as not to risk reopening the stitching and easing the possible infection back into the light. When Kimberly and her mother returned, Kimberly was all for adopting the guy.

It was still under debate, but with the wound closed to being healed up and her mother and father warming up to him by the day, it was a high chance she would get what she wanted.

The sound of voices outside drawing near caught her attention and Kimberly got up and went to look outside. To her delight, she saw her furry friends making their way up her driveway. She quietly tip toed so as not to wake her new roommate and slipped out of her room and down the stairs, just in time for her to open up the door before Gordon could knock.

For a moment, the cat stood there and smiled awkwardly, paw still in position to knock. He hastily hid it behind his back and laughed stiffly. "Heh…hello Human Kimberly."

Oblivious to his crushing mode, Kimberly smiled brilliantly. "Hi Gordon, hi Waffle, hi Mr. Blik."

"Splee, hello!" Waffle greeted enthusiastically. He was fiddling with his green scarf that Gordon just made recently for him, something about the cold weather settling in quicker this year.

"Hm, whatever," Blik growled lowly.

Eyeing his brother, Gordon quickly said, "Human Kimberly, as the time has come that ye attend school for the duration of the day, I was hoping ye would like to spend today with my brothers and I."

"Yeah, that sounds great; my Dad just mowed our backyard so we can play there."

The cats made to enter but stopped when they saw Kimberly wasn't letting them through. Gordon raised his forehead in confusion.

"Ah, lassie, is something the matter?"

"Oh, nothing's wrong. I just have a buddy who's healing from a horrible wound and he's sleeping right now. I don't want to wake him."

"We'll go around the back."

…

The day grew late when, after rough housing around the back yard playing, from Kimberly's suggestion and Gordon's snapping at Mr. Blik to do it, Unicorn Defenders and avoid getting mauled to near death by Randal, the neighborhood bear that served as a constant plague for the cats, it was time for the trio to head home.

Kimberly agreed easily enough. "Besides, I think my new buddy can finally go outside today after a month of staying indoors. He's been edgy these days."

Waving good bye to her friends, Kimberly made her way inside and up the stairs. When she entered her room, her debatable permanent resident was just waking up and stretching. She gave a cautious look when he did but saw no tear in the stitching. After checking it over, him sitting patiently through it, Kimberly saw it looked healed enough.

"Okay, I think it's safe for you to go outside today." She smiled one of those bright smiles the familiarizing stranger had come, much to his immense denial, to love.

Something of a smile appeared. "Finally, it'll be good to walk around that's not inside." Over the month, he had been on intense tense mode as he was not used to being indoors for so long. He's become accustomed to it though and the child he's come to look as his friend in mutual respects during the time had fairly eased the most of that tension.

As Kimberly let him out into the back and went inside for a snack, her stomach growling some, the little guy went on a long circle in the back yard, inspecting the flower garden there, the bird fountain over there, and so forth. What caught his attention however was something green, a darker shade of green compared to the stiffening cold grass, and lumbering over to it he discovered it was a scarf.

He squinted at it and drew it closer to him as he sat down. Something about it seemed familiar to him, he wasn't quite sure why though.

…

Waffle hurried back over to Human Kimberly's place. During the play, he hadn't realized his scarf had come undone and left behind until he went home and Gordon inquired where it was. Realizing what had happened, he said he'd be right back and was out the door in a flash of grey. Gordon made it for him and he felt bad for forgetting about it.

He didn't want to bother Kimberly about it and so he went around the side to where the stone wall was. He eased himself up and over it, landing softly on his back paws. He expected to see his scarf and only his scarf and was quite caught off guard at the scene before him.

Not as shocked as who was sitting in the lawn and sniffing at that said scarf though.

…

The little friend to Kimberly took the scarf into his paws and took a whiff of it. A delicious, sweet enticing scent met his nostrils and he reeled back, miffed at the recognition who the scent belonged to.

No, that can't be…

To confirm he was wrong he sniffed it over again. Mixed emotions erupted in a constricted chest, but it was undeniable who the scent it belonged to and he found himself saying the name of him.

"Waffle…"

"Barkmeat," said the wavering reply.


	6. Chapter 5

Five

_It had been rather warm that day, but when night crept on in, the pleasant weather withered into something between lukewarm and mildly cold. If not for the fact that the shrimpfish looking dog, taking shelter behind a few out of the many discarded boxes and trash cans, having a coat of fur on him it would have irritated him._

_Barkmeat was busying himself that night with inspecting some moldy crust of what must have been pizza, deciding whether or not to go through with eating it. _

_There was the sudden sound of padded feet walking his way and he tensed up. If it was some troublesome other stray like him he might as well act like the big, tough guy who took no crud from anyone before he allowed the other to catch a whiff of his unease. It helped that his voice had a rough and gruff edge to it. _

"_Who dares enter the sanctity of my domain? Name yourself."_

_A soft, young voice answered with a question, "W-Waffle, who are you?"_

_Hearing no animosity in the newcomer, Barkmeat decided to have a little fun with sizing himself up to him. "History has given me many names. You can call me…" he walked out from behind the garbage, "Barkmeat."_

_As it turned out, the new comer wasn't threatening in the least. He was taller, but not as much to him, with a small over bight that wasn't unpleasant. Though it was dark, it was clear that he had grey fur; he had long ears and an even longer tail. He didn't seem unsettled when he saw Barkmeat and appeared complacent as the dog sat in front of him. _

_Barkmeat looked him over. The fellow looked enough like a dog, but that scent of his…"Hm, your scent entices me. What are you?"_

_The trespasser gave a nice, a tad bit awkward, smile. "I'm a dog. That makes us brothers right?"_

_Trying to cover up his amusement, Barkmeat replied, "Fear is my brother, destruction my sister, and pestilence my third cousin twice removed."_

_Another oddly sweet smile; Waffle said sheepishly, "Wow, big family." _

_Barkmeat, without realizing it, liked this Waffle guy. He wrapped him into a crushing bear hug and said excitedly, "What the heck, there's always room for one more!" He looked up at him with one of his own smiles, this one more welcoming, "How would you like to be my wingman?"_

_Waffle managed to say in a choking answer, "Yeah, sure."_

_Barkmeat released him and Waffle sat back, looking at him none put off. "Excellent, let's go cause some chaos," the dog declared. _

_It was going to be great having some company for a change._

…

Barkmeat, on any other occasion, would've lunged at _any_ cat and devour it. but, given to how it was _Waffle_, who he had no clue was an actual _cat_ and got to know him, Barkmeat found himself just sitting on his hindquarters, staring dumbfounded at him, thoughts and natural instincts warring against each other.

_It's a cat! Eat him!_

_But it's _Waffle_!_

_Who cares? He's still a cat! A juicy, mouthwatering, savoring cat!_

_But he's okay…for a cat!" _

_What about all that talk of the war never ending between your and his kind? Just do it already!_

_NO! It's…different._

_He tricked you…_

Waffle stood there, not sure whether he should run away or say anything to Barkmeat. Maybe he should say something to him, maybe ask for his scarf back that Barkmeat still had in his paws. He opened his mouth to do so, but snapped it shut when a memory came bubbling to the top.

_The dog catcher had just caught them and took him and Barkmeat to the pound, where they were tossed unkindly into a cell like room. Their captor walked back down the hall they were just carried down, the sound of a door slamming shut._

"_This doesn't look good Waffle," Barkmeat had said._

_Waffle ignored him for the moment and walked over to the cell door, peering out. He spotted the keys hanging on a rung just outside, beside, where they were being held. "There's got to be something we can do," he said with slim hope._

"_Forget it," Barkmeat said, "you'd have to be a cat to get through those rings."_

_Waffle laughed nervously, knowing now that was exactly what he was and what he could do. But, knowing how the dog before him treated his kind, he had to tread carefully on what he was about to say._

"_Funny thing about that," he made sure to keep some distance between him and Barkmeat, "What would you do if I told you, hypothetically, that…I was a cat?"_

_Barkmeat looked at Waffle with an expression of 'isn't the answer obvious?' and said curtly, "I'd eat you and pick my teeth with your bones and wear your skull as a cross buckle."_

Waffle felt his stomach swim with the nausea now as it had done back then when he heard that answer. True, when he and Barkmeat had gotten out through the help of Hovis and his brothers, mostly Hovis, after revealing that he was indeed a cat, buying himself time with the fact that he was a cat that could save them, Barkmeat had let him live. Though, Waffle figured that was the way he paid the debt back.

Now, with the debt paid and all, what would hold Barkmeat back from doing as he said he would do to him?

Waffle was too polite to leave without saying anything though. "Uh…hi?" he settled with.

Barkmeat narrowed his eyes for a second. "Hi," he said in his usual guttural way.

That was as far as they were going to get though, for Kimberly had opened the backdoor and stuck her head out, asking how Barkmeat was doing.

Barkmeat gave a toothy smile. "Everything is fine." he turned back to Waffle, but Waffle was gone, his tail just going over the top of the wall. "Everything is fine," he repeated, more to himself than to the confused girl.

…

When Waffle got back, Gordon was ambling his way down the hall, smiling at the youngest brother as he entered. But his smile vanished when the said brother darted past him without looking his way.

"Waffle, is something wrong?" he called after.

"Fine, I just," Waffle said hurriedly, pausing at the bottom of the stairs, "I just don't feel good!"

"Do ye need anything?"

"No, that's fine!"

"Did ye get your scarf?"

Waffle swallowed thickly. "Uh, no, she wasn't home. I'll…I'll get it later." He ran up the stairs. There was some thudding, a door opening and closing, then silence.

Gordon stared after for several seconds, puzzled and worried scrawled on his features. He left, wondering what had spooked the poor kid.

Upstairs, in one of his many bedrooms, Waffle laid on his bed, his covers hiding him from view, a fist in his mouth in case he decided to scream.

"_This isn't over. The war between your kind and my kind will continue until only one of us is left…evil aside, you're pretty okay. For a cat…" _

Waffle curled up tighter, allowing a wave of shivers to wrack his body.

_I could never tell what he means and doesn't mean._


	7. Chapter 6

Six

The day after Waffle found out who Kimberly was taking care of, Gordon headed over to the Human Kimberly's home, taking care to knock quietly on the door. The sun was up, noon time, but the heat of its rays were dwindling fast already, casing Gordon's instincts that winter was coming early this year.

Kimberly opened the door, smiles beaming as always. "Hi Gordon, what goes on?"

Gordon smiled back, affectionate. "Hello, Human Kimberly, I was just wondering if ye have seen Waffle's scarf anywhere? He said ye weren't home when he came back and said he'd come back later, says he's not well."

Kimberly made to reply that she hadn't seen it and that she didn't go anywhere as Waffle had said, when she thought back to a moment with Barkmeat.

_Kimberly came back into her room, clothed in her nightgown with the imprinted unicorns on it, and saw Barkmeat sitting on his hindquarters pawing at a green scarf and smelling it every other second. His face scrunched up in a painful mix of a vague form of what looked like happiness and confliction. She became concerned._

_She sat down next to the canine. "What's the matter?" _

_Barkmeat barked, "Nothing," and continued staring at the scarf._

_Kimberly realized who the scarf belonged to. "What are you doing with Waffle's scarf?"_

_Barkmeat flinched. "So…you know him?"_

_Kimberly nodded. "He's one of my friends."_

"_He's…"Barkmeat hesitated, not sure what to call Waffle, "an acquaintance of mine."_

"_Really, maybe I could get you two together and-"_

"_That won't be necessary!"_

"_Why, you two get along don't you?" _

_Something flickered in Barkmeat's eyes, something Kimberly couldn't place other than it looked morose. "It's…complicated. I can't explain it any better than that right now."_

"_Okay, but, you know, he's going to want that back."_

_Barkmeat looked down at it and Kimberly thought he looked like some kid who didn't want to give something back. _

_Kimberly decided she won't push any further tonight. Kissing the top of the dog's head, she said good night and dove under the blankets. A few minutes later she was asleep._

_The last thing she saw was Barkmeat sighing and lying down, keeping the scarf close to him. _

Kimberly shrugged. "Sorry," she said, her insides squirming as she hated lying, "I haven't seen it, but I'll keep an eye out for it and bring it over when I do come across it."

…

Barkmeat's ears twitched, agitated. The scarf was under his front paws, had been the entire time he heard Kimberly and the cat, the pudgy one he remembered he wanted to eat, who turned out to be Waffle's brother. He growled in annoyance.

_Stupid, stupid, meaty, tender cat…_

He peered down at the scarf. Waffle's scent was still embedded into it, but having handled it for a good amount of hours, the scent had started fading away.

Kimberly came in, looking at him expectantly.

Barkmeat growled a sigh. "Don't say it, I know. I'll bring it over tonight."

Kimberly sighed, irritated. "It's not that. I…what exactly happened between you two?"

Barkmeat didn't need to ask who she was referring to. "Waffle was wondering around where I stake a claim on territory, an alleyway. He claimed he was a dog and I believed him. We…" what counted for eyebrows pulled down, "We hanged out for a while, caused mischief such as chasing the pizza delivery man and…" he coughed, clearing his throat, "and marking. We got along pretty well. I enjoyed having him around."

"So what happened that ruined that?"

"I found out he was a cat."

Kimberly didn't understand. "What's wrong with that?"

"Cats and dogs don't get along."

"Why don't they?"

"Because-"Barkmeat faltered. He didn't have a clear answer either. "We just don't that's why. Anyway, I found out when we were caught by a dog catcher when these two cats, his brothers I figured, came running to us. I wanted to eat them-"At Kimberly's horrified expression, he added, "that's just what dogs do sometimes. Waffle followed, but I think he wanted to try and warn them. I don't know for certain. We got captured like I said and tossed into this cell. I was scared, as much as I hate to admit it, and tried to act tough. Waffle was calm and was trying to figure out what to do. I said you'd have to be a cat to slip through the bars," he didn't add he started bawling, "which he did."

"You were-"

"I was angry at being lied to! I grabbed his tail and he said he could get us out and gave me the option to either eat him or let him go. I let him go. We would've gotten away on our own, but then his STUPID brothers rammed us with some giant log, I can't remember exactly. So then all four of us got caught and dragged us through this door. Turned out some guy-"

"That's Hovis."

"Hovis had gotten us off the hook. Waffle was all happy, but I was still ticked off at being lied to. I tried covering it up, saying that the war between our kinds would never stop until only one of us is left." Barkmeat paused, running one of his paws along the scarf, seeming to be deep in thought. "The last thing I said to him was he was pretty okay. You know, for a cat. I haven't seen or heard from him since until…"

"He came over and saw you yesterday right?" Kimberly said, putting the dots together.

"Talk about awkward?"

Kimberly laughed. "Yeah, but now he's going around saying he doesn't feel well and wouldn't come out of his room." She became serious again, as serious as a child could be anyway. "What are you going to do?"

Barkmeat detected some anger in her question. He sighed, aggravated. "I have no idea to be honest. There's one side that screams to do just that, but, this other side says otherwise. I think I'll wait and try to sort this out. The last thing I need is to cause a scene."

Kimberly nodded. "Good, I like it when my friends get along and I like it even more when they don't tear into each other. But…"

One brow went up, "What?"

"You said dogs and cats don't get along."

"What of it?"

Kimberly rubbed at her temples, frustrated. "You two got off on a good foot…it's just confusing. You like him and he liked you back for that short time…"

"Again, what are you getting at?" But the canine went rigid as he suspected what was coming.

"So basically he proved that both of your kind can get along without a chewed out throat."

There it was. But for all the stubborn canine's thoughts against the idea of getting along with a cat, he wasn't blind to the fact that was what happened. Still, it leads back to the one big question.

What was he going to do about it?

…

Mr. Blik was tapping his foot incessantly as he waited at the bottom of the stairs. Finally, as he heaved an exasperated sigh, Gordon came walking down, troubled.

"Well," Blik snapped, "is he coming or not?"

Gordon shook his head. "He says he doesn't feel up to it."

A flicker of brief concern came and went in a blink of an eye. "Then we have to leave without him."

"Blik, the laddie never missed this occasion since he pulled one over on Squeakus; don't ye find it strange that he's skipping out on it?"

Blik yanked on his ears. "We don't have time for this. We'll deal with him when we get back."

He turned and started to walk to the front door, where Hovis stood waiting to open it for him. He shot the disapproving Gordon an uncertain glance. "He'll be fine; really. Now let's go."

Hovis opened the door and Blik lumbered out, his overbearingly large captain's hat comical on him as he headed to Gear, the aggressive appearing monster truck. Gordon stood on the front stoop and watched the eldest of the brothers climb aboard with surprisingly no difficulties. The white and orange cat looked up at Hovis, who stared down with a boredom, or neutral, expression.

"If it isn't too much, Hovis, would ye mind checking on Waffle from time to time this evening?" Gordon asked, "I normally can tell what's bothering him, but…it's just worries me."

Hovis, his voice a drawl of sarcasm, said, "Well, it's not like I have any plans tonight…" he glanced quickly at the worried drawn feline before casting his attention over his shoulder, "I'm sure he's fine though."

Gordon nodded absently. "Right, he could be…sick, that's all." He didn't buy this completely.

"Gordon, get a move on already!"

Gordon turned and started off, Hovis saying to 'have a great time boys.'

…

Waffle watched from his bedroom window, the one on the bottom floor, his room lit only from the streetlamp from the street's corner. He stared after the disappearing vehicle, and a few seconds more as it disappeared around the corner. He rubbed at his eyes, suddenly very tired and stared at his tank of newts, which slept docile across their rock.

He smiled a small smile before leaving the room. His throat feeling dry, he went to the kitchen to get a drink before calling it a night.

…

The rock wall was short so he had no problem of getting over it. Barkmeat wondered just before the line where the light from the windows landed, eyeing the inside to get a view of the one he was looking for. He saw the other two leave, but there was no sign of Waffle with them, and he heard with his high pitched ears that Waffle was home. His eyes narrowed in the dark when he saw the grey fur of the cat walk through one of the lit rooms before vanishing from sight.

_How the heck was he supposed to get inside without alerting him of his presence?_

As if answering his silent question, a tall and lanky man came out through where the front was, trailing at his sides two large garbage bags. Barkmeat watched the man walked to the end of the driveway before running silently to where the front door was left open ajar and slipped inside without so much as causing the door to creek.

For a minute or two, the dog just stood there in the front foyer, completely at a lost where to go from there, the green scarf dangling from his chops. He spotted the stairs and went to walk up them when he heard approaching feet from down the hallway beside the stair case.

Running in the opposite direction, down the hallway on the other side of the stairs, Barkmeat darted into the first room he saw was open and quickly shut it, but quietly as he could. Standing back from the door, he breathed in and out a couple of times, nice and easy before telling him to stop being a spaz. He then took a look around the darkened room.

It wasn't much, but it wasn't little. It was a decent size room, with a bed, which Barkmeat placed the scarf on, propped up against the wall with the door on it, and made up of blue blankets, a dresser, a bed side table, and a few scattered pieces of clothing. Barkmeat saw in one corner of the room what appeared to be a rounded plank of wood with four wheels attached to it. His brow arched up, wondering what the heck it was, when something caught his attention from the corner of his eye.

Looking away from the board, the canine wondered over to an opened closet and peered inside. His eyes widened a fraction when he pawed it out from under even more clothing and realized what it was.

…

Waffle sipped with a mild amount of pleasure as the sweet taste of root beer hit his tongue, tipping the bottle back some so he could the rest of it. He spotted Hovis just coming in, who started his way. He nodded as Waffle said good night to him and didn't notice the men watch him leave.

Hovis saw dirt on the rug then and when he looked closer, he saw they were tracked in from someone with paws. He narrowed, well more so than usual, his eyes as the cat left his line of sight. He grumbled to himself to remind Waffle to clean the bottom of his feet more and went to get the dust pan and broom.

Waffle on the other hand didn't notice the dirt clods on the rug; maybe if he had things would've turned out differently, but he didn't. He did, however, stopped for a second, letting the root beer bottle drift from his open mouth.

Funny, he didn't remember if he closed his door all the way.

Shrugging it off, Waffle entered his room, leaving the door open several inches. He thought he felt something scampering around from behind him, but when he turned to look, nobody was there. He saw that his closet was open, but that was about it.

Waffle felt the fur on his back prickle, but he shook it off as he figured it was probably nothing, probably nothing at all.

Placing the half emptied root beer on his bed side table, the feline went to get under his covers when he saw a form on his bed. Squinting in the dark, Waffle picked it up, not noticing another figure creep out from his closet, staring at him with no clue of what to do.

Waffle looked it over once more and felt his heart jumped to his throat. No, it wasn't possible that-Gordon probably went to get it for him. Then again, why didn't he give it to him before? Well, it was completely rational that his brother gave it to Hovis to give to him before Gordon left. But then, why didn't the butler give it to him when he was in the foyer with him?

"Hovis," the cat called, "did you-"he turned to go find the man, but froze in mid step when he saw Barkmeat standing in the doorway of his closet, half his face lit by the hallway light. The feline paled and felt like his blood was turning into the condensed, inedible Jell-O Gordon tried making two months ago. The scarf had slipped from his hands when they started trembling.

Barkmeat smiled, coming off twisted and macabre in the half light, half shadows. Waffle eyed him, wavering from side to side before making a dash for his bed room door. Barkmeat, seeing this coming, lunged in front of the cat, which halted. The canine pushed the door shut once more, this time with more of a slam.

Waffle twisted around and ran for the window, but instead found him being tackled to the ground, the side of his head connecting with a snap, a vague sting tingling on that very side. He struggled under the weight of the dog, one of the dog's paws was wrapped too tightly around the trapped cat's wrists, pinning it behind Waffle's back and pressing himself against Waffle's back, keeping him in place. Waffle tried to find where his voice went, to scream for Hovis, but the only thing he could muster was open and closed his mouth repeatedly. Finally, he settled with keeping his mouth firmly closed, his eyes squeezed shut.

Barkmeat smiled toothily. He leaned in towards one of the cat's floppy ears; one paw digging into the back of the kid's head, forcing it harder against the rug. His smile wavered some though when Waffle gave a strange mix between a sob and whimper.

Ignoring the feelings of guilt, the canine whispered into Waffle's ear, "I told you it wasn't over."


	8. Chapter 7

Seven

Now a rational person would sum up the nerve to start screaming for help in situations like these, but Waffle instead took both of them by surprised by asking a question in an unnaturally soft, defeated voice.

"Are you going to eat me now?"

Barkmeat reeled back, stumped. His eyes were narrowed, but not out of animosity. Finally, he lifted himself off of the cat, which still remained lying there and looked on in silence as the dog trotted from him. The cat flinched when the dog snarled.

Barkmeat turned on Waffle, face twisted into a conflicted blend of anger and uncertainty. He ran a paw down his face, growling once more. "Why is it so _difficult_ with you? Any _other_ pest of a cat would be_ munched_ on the inside of my jaw, but_ you_," he shot Waffle a glower, "for some reason I can't bring myself to do it! Why _is_ that?"

Waffle rolled over so that he was now in a sitting position, staring quizzically at the flustered canine. He shrugged, still having last minute shivers from the initiative tackle. "I don't know why. Maybe…" he gestured at nothing in the air, trying to search for the right words, settling for, "maybe we just got along because when you thought I was a dog there was no problem then."

Barkmeat rumbled, sighing. He sat down on his hunches, staring at the floor in his typical scowl. "When I thought you were a dog…it was so much _easier_." He kicked at nothing. "No _issues_ then, no _confusing emotions_, no _conflict_ of beliefs, no…_problem_ at all like you said." Barkmeat shot Waffle a look that he couldn't read except maybe it was somewhat unhappy. "We got along _perfectly_." He started pawing at something definitely this time.

Waffle crawled over, slowly and cautiously in case Barkmeat decided to attack him again, to get a better look at what the dog had. He frowned, the upsetting feeling of guilt gripping his gut when he saw what it was Barkmeat had. He sighed almost inaudible before sitting down next to the dog, looking at his fiddling fingers.

"Why do you still have this?"

Waffle shrugged, tense. "I usually hold onto things that were involved in what I was into for brief or long periods of time." He scratched absent mindedly behind his ear.

Barkmeat set the spike dog collar aside and stared sideways at Waffle, who only allowed a quick glance now and then. The dog was obviously put off. "I don't like being deceived; by anyone."

Waffle shrunk down. "I'm sorry," he said under his breath, Barkmeat hearing it just fine, "I wasn't out to…mislead you…or anyone. Gordon-"

"Which one is that?"

"That's the pudgy one. He had me take this personality test because I was…changing what I wanted to be a lot. I went too far with it I guess."

"Yeah, I guess so too."

Some seconds past in choking silence before Waffle spoke again.

"I don't like being tricked either so…I get why you're angry with me."

Barkmeat relaxed, but biting his tongue when the scent of Waffle started to cloud his thoughts, asking him to take just one bite. "I'm not sure whether I should be angry with you, myself, or those _stupid_ magazine personality tests…but, I guess…it all worked out. I got to…you know…meet you and all that junk."

Waffle felt, despite the dimming unease, a smile coming on. "Well, I'm glad to have met you and all that junk too…even if you do like snacking on my kind."

Barkmeat snorted, but also smiling despite his denial in liking this reunion. "Yeah, well…there's an exception to everything."

Both jumped when those words were uttered and the two went back to avoiding each other's gaze for another several seconds.

Barkmeat decided to break the silence this time before his nerves got pulverized. He cleared his throat a bit excessively. "So, um, you said you don't like being tricked either. When did you…you know…"

Waffle felt vaguely his hand return to scratch behind his ear again. "You promise not to laugh?"

"I can promise to _try_ not to."

"Well, I was…sort of…tricked by a…a mouse."

Waffle didn't need nocturnal vision to see Barkmeat stuffing his paws into his mouth in an attempt to shove the upcoming laughter back down his throat. The cat frowned, pouting before shoving the dog over onto his side, who didn't mind because he was still having a silent fit. When he was done and up righted himself, he saw Waffle crossing his arms over his chest, still pouting.

The canine grinned. "Seriously, you were tricked by a fur ball no bigger than a dust bunny?"

"I never met or caught a mouse before I owned him all right!"

"Okay, okay, don't get your tail in a-wait, wait, wait; you really never caught a mouse? What kind of a cat doesn't chase after mice?"

"The urge to get one never came over me okay?" Waffle scolded.

"Oh come on! Every cat feels that; what kind of cat are you?"

Waffle smirked, still feeling offended though. "I'm the kind of cat who doesn't kill mice, enjoys laser light shows, acts like a dog, and can give one heck of a massage."

This time, Barkmeat didn't bother trying to keep himself from laughing. "If you hadn't given yourself away I probably would've gone on thinking you were a dog."

"I was kidding around."

"And I'm being serious," Barkmeat replied grizzly. He took Waffle off his guard when he grabbed hold, not roughly, of one of the cat's long and floppy ears. The cat didn't make a move or so much as a sound when the dog gave it a quick rub. "I mean, come on…the ears are more dog like than a cat, cats are slim and you have more of a body built, and let's not forget the tail. It's much longer than and wags unlike a cat's." He released Waffle's ear and Waffle watched him sit back, letting the dog check him over. "You pass more for dog." He grin that grin that meant trouble. "Plus…" he waved the dog collar around, "the dog collar really suits you."

Waffle smiled that sheepish smile of his. "Thank you…but, despite that, I'm a cat and…that's not going to change."

Barkmeat's grin melted, becoming melancholy and wanting to feel bitter rage but couldn't. He managed another smile, this one lacking vigor than the previous one. He moved closer, closing the space between the two of them. Waffle sat still, the last of his tremors had faded and he felt no fear of what to expect of Barkmeat.

Barkmeat handed him the collar. "I know that. Still I…" but he didn't finished what he wanted to and said instead, "How about you put it on for old time sake?"

Waffle obliged, smiling, and easily pushed the collar around his neck and straightened it. Barkmeat nodded. "Like I said….it suits you."

Waffle grinned, but it lessened some when it occurred to him it wasn't what Barkmeat had meant to say. "What was it you-"

"Hey, what was the name of the mouse anyways; the one that messed with you?"

"Oh," Waffle said, trying to hide the disappointment, "his name was Squeakus."

"Squeakus huh; He doesn't sound very intimidating."

"In the cat community he was known for being brutal towards cats. He…tricked me into believing he was my friend and set me against my brothers." Waffle rubbed the back of his head. "One of the few times I attacked them."

"I wish I was there to see that. I bet that scrawny black one wet himself." Barkmeat barked out a harsh laughter before covering up his amusement, poorly. "You did figure it out eventually though."

"Yeah, after he messed with me two times."

"You're easily fooled aren't you?"

"Some would say that."

"So what happened to this Squeakus? Did you kill him?" Barkmeat found it rather interesting that Waffle would be capable of actually hurting another, let alone killing that someone off. He was hesitant when he, Barkmeat, said it was time to eat a cat….

Then again he _was_ a cat. Still, Waffle he didn't think would kill somebody off. He was too sweet for that barbarian behavior.

Barkmeat blinked, flinching. Sweet…did he seriously just call him that?

_Well, he is…_

_Ah, stop it!_

_Oh shoot, Waffle was saying something._

Barkmeat shook the thought away. "What was that?"

"I said the last I saw of Squeakus he was living in our basement."

"Wait, the little punk that screwed with you is living in your house?"

Waffle shrugged. "He hasn't been out to cause trouble since."

"How did you deal with him?"

"Oh, it's just a technique Gordon taught me called 'cat breath.'"

Barkmeat smirked. "Cat breath…how bad could that be?"

"Pretty bad; I'd say deadly."

"Please; don't tell me something such as bad breath got you out of that situation?"

"Well, my neighbor and I got my brothers and his brothers out of being crushed by a ship by imitating a blow horn, so…cat breath isn't as far fetch as you would think."

"You're capable of imitating a blow horn of a ship?"

"I could show you-"

"No, first show me this so called fool proof method of 'cat breath'. I doubt its lethal act."

"Are you sure? It's pretty horrible; I'm not going to lie. I thought I lost one of my nine lives when I experience it."

"Bah, I don't feel fear, _fear_ runs from _me_. Now just show me."

"All right, don't say I didn't warn you." Waffle cleared his throat; one of his hands balled up and placed against his chest. He didn't meet Barkmeat's waiting, puzzled, and doubtful gaze.

"I'm waiting. Just when is-"

The dog wasn't sure exactly what happened. His vision was clear and was able to peer at Waffle just fine, but when the said cat opened his mouth, Barkmeat felt a horrific force hit his senses. His eye sight saw only a filmy sheet of green and something smelling of rotting fish clogged his nostrils. After that, it was all foggy and he felt himself swimming between semi-consciousness before Waffle's concerned voice started calling to him.

Barkmeat waited for his vision to clear and he coughed worse than a heavy smoker does. When his coughing fit was over, he saw that he was lying on his back, Waffle's worried face looming over his, eyes wide and frown deep. The cat was waving a hand over Barkmeat's face, trying to draw his attention back.

Barkmeat gave one last hack before deciding he was okay and all was intact. He clasped Waffle's hand in his paw and got to a sitting position. He was still holding onto the cat's hand when he said, "What the_ heck_ just happened?"

Waffle glanced between Barkmeat and the paw wrapped around his before he answered, "That's what we call 'cat breath'."

"Well…sorry for doubting it."

"Uh, Barkmeat…"

"What; is there more?"

"No, it's not that, but, um…." Waffle pointed with his free hand to where his other was still in Barkmeat's.

Barkmeat released it immediately and took a great interest in the floor then. Waffle just held the hand he got back and looked anywhere but at the dog before him. He saw that his clock read nine-thirty, the yawn cementing that he was tired.

Barkmeat looked up, bemused. "Tired much, eh Waffle?"

Letting the yawn pass, Waffle shook his head. "No…it's not…that late." He stood, wavering slightly and wondered over to his bed. He didn't bother getting under the covers, just flopped onto his front on it.

Barkmeat got to all fours, started for the window (he didn't want to risk a run in with that Hovis guy), when Waffle's meek voice stopped him.

"Barkmeat…"

The dog looked over his shoulder at the cat, who stared at him with eyes fighting to stay open and losing. "Human Kimberly's parents…they lock all the doors and windows after nine p.m."

_Crap, I forgot about that rule! Now what?_

Waffle yawned again. He scooted over on the bed while not even rolling over. "You can stay here for tonight…you know…if you want."

Barkmeat contemplated the idea, and the risk of possibly taking a bite out of Waffle, before shrugging and taking the cat up on his offer. He hopped up onto the bed, lying down on his side facing the cat. Waffle gave a sleepy smile before turning his head so he was looking at the wall. Barkmeat smiled, pleasant despite the jagged teeth sticking out. His eye lids slid shut soon after.

What was he so worried about? If he hasn't jumped on Waffle and eating him whole, he wasn't going to any other time.

…

Hovis leaned away from the bedroom door, slightly amused at the conversation he just overheard and a bit taken aback despite him being in his neutral state. He turned and started off down the hall to await the other two masters of the house to return.

Boy, if the other two knew what their youngest brother was up to…

Blood will be spilt.

Regaining his cold demeanor, Hovis waited by the door, listening for the approaching, unmistakable roar of Gear's engine, all the while one thought floated through his mind.

_None of my business; it's none of my business…_

…

Across the street, lingering just outside the circle of the street lamp, an unrecognizable shadow of a figure stood, watching the quiet of the house. He had saw Barkmeat slip by unnoticed by a fool of a butler and into the house of that grey dog. It was obvious now that the shrimp dog wasn't going back to the little girl's place tonight.

The shadow took shelter in the bushes not too far from where he could keep an eye on the mansion, a non-amused and ghoulish smile plastered across the dark surface.

_I like your friend Barkmeat…he looks like a real sweet heart._


	9. Chapter 8

Eight

The mild warmth remaining of the sun rays slipped through the drawn window, across the floor, and warming the side of Barkmeat's face, the light drawing him out from sleep and waking him to an unexpected sight.

Sometime during the night, Waffle and Barkmeat must've kicked the sheets out and gotten under them. Of course, this had to have been in a semi-wake stance since Barkmeat couldn't recall when they did. Anyways, that wasn't what caught his attention, springing him fully awake the moment his eyes adjusted to it.

Barkmeat was still lying on his side, but his arms were wrapped around Waffle, who was curled up against him, inattentive to the fact that Barkmeat was pretty much holding him while he continued to sleep on. One of his long ears flicked now and then.

Barkmeat, tensing from the initiative surprise, started relaxing. It was better not to freak out, not that he would subject himself to losing his cool after all. Something like a smile spread wide, but only for a second before he snapped at himself mentally to stop acting like a child.

Waffle shifted the slightest and Barkmeat cocked his head at an angle to see if he was waking up finally. He wasn't and Barkmeat found himself letting the cat curl in closer to him. Strangely enough, Barkmeat didn't mind it.

In fact, the dog found himself liking the form of Waffle lying up against him like this.

_Would you knock it off! Things are already complicated as it is!_

_Still, it does feel nice, right even…_

_In fact, didn't I feel like this…when we first hung out?_

Barkmeat allowed for the slimmest of smiles to come and hesitantly drew the cat even closer to him, getting a good whiff of that aroma he's come to familiarize with. Barkmeat closed his eyes and enjoyed the remaining minutes he has left of the moment.

Waffle whimpered something and Barkmeat almost missed it, feeling his heart plummet to the ends of his back feet.

"Barkmeat…don't hate me…please…"

Ouch, that stung. Barkmeat took hold of one of Waffle's ears, the ones with the stripes on it, and massaged it gently. He smiled grimly, watching Waffle starting to wake up.

He should hate him. After all, he was a cat and he was a dog. It's always been that way.

Barkmeat released Waffle's ear as the cat rolled onto his back, stretching.

_Somehow though…I can't hate him; could even say that I…_

Waffle turned his head towards the waiting Barkmeat, eyes darting open. He shot up into a sitting position, looking at Barkmeat and then looking away, beside himself. Barkmeat allowed another smile, this one more humored.

Waffle chanced a glance, smiling when he saw no contempt on Barkmeat, saying, "Um, I wasn't…crossing any lines…was I?"

Barkmeat feigned being deep in thought. "Hm, I don't know…maybe I should show you how far you crossed." Before the cat could respond, the dog grabbed both of Waffle's wrists, pulled him towards him, and ultimately forcing Waffle to lie up against Barkmeat, wrapping his arms around the cat once more. "It was something like this," he said quietly, liking the way Waffle's breathing was slower next to dog's rampant heart beats. "And it was like this." Barkmeat returned to massaging Waffle's striped ear, earning a small whimper. He smiled crookedly at the shocked cat. "Would you consider that crossing any lines Waffle?"

Waffle felt his face warming and turned his attention to Barkmeat's chest. "Um, do you think so?"

Stopping the massage, letting the ear fall against the pillow, Barkmeat shrugged. "Do you like it?"

Waffle debated it and said he did. Barkmeat smiled wider.

"Good," he whispered, "I did too."

Waffle remained lying there with Barkmeat for what seemed like many minutes later when he unwrapped himself and sat up once more. He leaned across Barkmeat, who stiffened, checking what time it was. It read ten a.m.

Waffle sighed and sat back. "I should probably get up now before Gordon comes in. The last thing he would want to see is a dog hanging around me in my room."

"Ah, don't forget," Barkmeat added, half-jokingly, "I'm not just _any_ dog. I'm a dog with a _reputation_."

"Yes, and that's what I'm worried about. You can just slip out the window there and-"

Barkmeat sat up next to Waffle, smirking. "Think _you _can slip away and hang today?"

Waffle smirked back. "I suppose so. I'll come up with some excuse to leave or, hey, just tell Hovis to tell my brothers I'll be out."

Barkmeat leaned in towards a nervous Waffle and whispered into his ear: "Don't keep me waiting."

…

It wasn't difficult to find Hovis. In fact, the butler found them.

Waffle had opened his window so as Barkmeat could get out, the cat following after, when the two saw Hovis standing off to the side, wearing his smile that simply screamed: this should be good.

Waffle felt like an explosion just went off in some far off distance. "Hovis, uh…you're up early."

Barkmeat stood there, debating whether to fight or flee.

Hovis let the smile diminished. "I could say the same for you…especially after your late night visitor." He glanced at the dog in mention. "I see that he stayed over…tell me, were you the one who so charitably left the dirt in the hall?"

"My bad…" Barkmeat started shuffling at lose soil. _So much for not wanting to risk it…_

Hovis grimaced, turned, proceeded to walk away. The cat and dog followed after him.

"Your brothers will not like hearing about this," Hovis said, "It will be a shame should they find out."

Waffle could feel his nerves getting shot. "You can't tell them! Gordon will have-what do you call it now when someone has a problem with their heart?"

"It's called a heart attack."

"Yeah, _that_ and Mr. Blik will tear my _head_ off if he ever found out that-"

Hovis stopped short, Waffle almost running into him. The butler faced the two, his face ever a drawl of boredom. "Waffle…what makes you think_ I'm_ going to tell them?"

"_Are_ you…going to tell them?"

"It is none of my business what you three get into unless it endangers your wellbeing…because then I'd be out of the job and who knows where I go from there."

"So you're not going to tell them," Barkmeat growled.

"Ah, you must be Barkmeat. I heard a lot about you." The dog wasn't sure if there was a pinch of contempt or not in the butler's voice. "Anyway…I will not speak a word of this to any of them should nothing goes wrong with whatever you two are up to. _Should_ something put Waffle in a bit of a _bind_ however, I will inform Gordon and Mr. Blik of what I _do_ know."

"What you're saying is…." The cat prodded.

"I'm just telling you to tread_ carefully_. Whatever you got going on here is on _very_ thin ice you two are walking across and the way _I_ see it, one mistake and_ both_ of you will fall through and then it is over. So, if you _choose_ to keep it a secret, _fine_, by all means go ahead. I won't so much as _bat_ an _eyelash_. But, if you want to do a _preemptive_ strike before the storm hits when things go _horribly_ awry, and it _will_, trust you me, than _tell_ them. Like I said though," here the butler continued on walking away, leaving the two behind, and "I won't open my mouth because it's none of my _business._"

"Hovis, wait!"

The butler did so, looking back over his shoulder.

Waffle swallowed thickly. "Can you let Gordon know that I'll….be around?"

An eyebrow arched, and then quickly settled. "Will do, and Mr. Blik?"

"Well…he'll finally get to read the paper unlike last time so he won't care."

"Will do; have fun you two. Remember what I said."

"We will," Waffle said, waving. As the butler went inside, the cat faced Barkmeat, who stared at him puzzled.

"What happened last time with the newspaper?"

"Oh," Waffle scratched at his, body warming as the humiliation returned at the recall of the reason, "I, um, was…shedding and, uh…I didn't know why so…Blik lied and said it means that…I was…evil."

"What does that-"

"I kept asking him questions when he was trying to read it."

"Wow…he sounds like a real…_jackass_." Barkmeat said. He grinned. "You thought you were evil?"

Waffle smiled. "It only ever happened a couple of times." He looked back at the mansion, smile reducing. "We should probably leave before…"

"Right; know any good places? I showed you mine the last time so…"

"I do. Yeah, I can show you!"

…

Hovis watched the duo climb over the stone wall and vanish from sight. He heaved a sigh and turned on his heels, knowing there were things to do.

_I shouldn't have promised anything; this'll blow back in my face in a matter of a day. It's Waffle after all. He's bound to get into trouble. The dog is a ticking bomb waiting to explode in the kid's hands. _

_I did promise though. And I am a man of my word. _

…

"Seriously, you never tasted this before?" Waffle asked incredulously.

The two were walking along the alleys, Barkmeat had suggested it so in case of a possible run in with Waffle's brothers, and the cat just asked the dog if he ever had root beer.

Barkmeat said no.

Waffle stopped, lifting the bottle to Barkmeat's mouth. "I refuse to take another step until you have at least one sip."

Barkmeat stared up. "You plan to hold up to that?"

Waffle nodded.

"Okay, give it to me." Barkmeat hesitantly took a swallow and let it sit on his tongue, contemplating the taste. When he did eventually swallow it, he said, "Eh, a bit too sweet for me…but then again, it's not like I had it before this. It's kind of hard to find a drink in a garbage can when buzzards are busy swarming it."

Waffle frowned sadly and Barkmeat went defensive. "Did I say something bad? I mean-well that is-"

"Barkmeat, how did you become a stray in the first place?"

The question more than takes the canine back. It sent him reeling off all four of his feet. "I, um…come again?"

Waffle, tossing the root beer into the garbage as Barkmeat had taken the last of it, repeated the question. Something cold and sharp hit the dog's gut, and the dog winced.

Waffle jerked forward, but the dog waved him away. "It's all right…it's all right, I'm not hurt. Nobody asked me that before."

Waffle watched the dog carefully. "Was I wrong to ask?"

Barkmeat cast a look over at the upset cat and sighed. "No, it's just…a topic I don't like talking about. I don't think you'd understand considering…where you come from."

"Where I come from; what's that supposed to mean?" Waffle felt himself getting slightly put off.

"Let me put it to you _this_ way: the rich _doesn't_-and _couldn't_-understand what the poor has _been_ through."

Waffle frowned, angry completely now. "I can understand if you would stop bordering up like that," and quickly added in when he saw Barkmeat's oncoming reply, "and don't you even start with covering it up with your talk of having no fear or-or you're a feeless monster, because you're not. I've seen your soft side before."

"I don't have a soft side! I just don't want to open up to a rich boy okay?" Barkmeat shouted.

"I'm not some stupid kid hiding behind money-who, by the way, can't even touch it!"

Barkmeat snorted. "You still have luxury and therefore wouldn't know hardship if it came knocking at your front door."

"Actually, our butler tricked us into believing he was the ghost of our owner and had us do all of his chores for a day or so and that isn't an easy task!"

Barkmeat turned away. Waffle's fur bristled.

"Fine, you know what, be that way. I was only asking because I-"Waffle cut himself off, suddenly feeling very cold.

Without looking his way, eye brows lifting some, "Because why?"

Waffle groaned. "Forget it; I'm going home."

Barkmeat quickly got to his feet and followed after as the cat started walking back the way they came. "We just got out."

"I don't care! You're being a jerk when all I was doing was trying to be your friend because I _love_ you!" Waffle blurted. He stopped abruptly, slapping both hands over his mouth, staring anywhere but at the shocked dog.

Barkmeat thought his voice sounded strained, stretched. "You…_love_ me?"

Waffle twisted away so the dog wouldn't see his distress. He took his hands away from his mouth and used one to wipe across his eyes, which had started to become irritated. His face felt like it was on fire.

_That was supposed to stay a secret! I am such a motor mouth!_

"Waffle-"

"I'm going home!" Waffle interrupted. He wanted to run, almost succeeded, but Barkmeat, sensing it, had grabbed hold of his tail and yanked him back, forcing him to sit beside the canine.

Barkmeat tried to meet Waffle's eyes, but each time he tried to, the damn cat wouldn't meet his. "Waffle, I-"

"Well isn't this a pleasant surprise."

Waffle finally looked up, only looking at the new comer. He felt Barkmeat cringed.

_Of all the freaking strays to meet, it has to be him. _Barkmeat eased Waffle behind him. "Waffle," he whispered, the cat catching the dead set tone, "I want you to stay right behind me."

"Why," Waffle asked quietly.

"Just do it."

The new comer was huge. That was an understatement. To Waffle, he looked as tall as a mountain, and it didn't help that this dog was able to stand upright on his hindquarters. He had lightly yellowish tan fur, floppy black ears, not long like Waffle's. He had a black muzzle as well and ice cool blue eyes. The stranger was smiling, but Waffle found it nasty and humorless.

When the newcomer's ears picked up on what Barkmeat said to Waffle, his cold smile grew colder. "Now Barkmeat," he said, Waffle shivering the smallest bit at how scratchy it sounded, and "are you really still mad at me enough that you would keep your friend there from greeting me properly?"

_No offense, but I don't really want to talk to you. _Waffle grinned, bearing it. "Uh, hi; who are you?"

The stranger started walking up to the two, Barkmeat growing defensive with each step. The stranger reached out his hand down to Waffle, but at Barkmeat's growl and pushing Waffle further from him, he retracted his paw. He narrowed his eyes at the Pit-bull mix.

"There's no need to be rude, shrimp," he said lowly; to Waffle "The name is Retch kid. Now you tell me yours."

Waffle, tensing and hand digging into the fur on Barkmeat's back when the dog sat back against him, stuttered, "It's W-Waffle."

A light of brief recognition flashed in Retch's eyes. "Waffle; haven't I seen you from somewhere?"

"N-no, I don't think s-so."

"No, I'm pretty sure I heard that name before."

Blood running stiff, Barkmeat snapped, "What is it you are here for Retch? State it and then leave."

"My, aren't you _ever_ the hot headed one you are Barkmeat," Retch sneered. "I wanted to drop by the other day, when I saw you being carried home by that little girl-oh! Now I remember!" Retch grinned, vile, towards Waffle, and Waffle couldn't help but shrink down. "That's where I saw this one. He was in the park the day that child rescued you Barkmeat."

Barkmeat looked over his shoulder at Waffle, who shrugged.

"I was surprised the two of you didn't notice each other than. Of course…how could you notice anything after getting a good chunk of your side bitten off eh Barkmeat?"

"You were the one who attacked him?" Waffle asked with eyes wide. Oh, now he _definitely_ didn't like this guy.

"Yes, yes I did. Boy was he meaty too." Retch snapped his jaws at the dog, who only snarled in response.

Testing his luck, Waffle asked, "Why did you?"

"Why, because this little punk ass decided to let himself be deceived by a cat and hang out with him; word among the dogs he liked this particular cat too, _a lot_ in fact, and didn't eat him when he found out."

Waffle stiffened. "Oh no…"

"What's wrong?"

"You attacked him over that? That's…really stupid."

"Waffle, shut up," Barkmeat said, urgently.

Retch's eyes narrowed. "It's not stupid, not at all. Cats and dogs hate each other and it's against the rules to have a cross species relationship. The punishment for doing so is death; at least in the dog community it is."

"But Barkmeat didn't know I-_he_-was a cat!"

"That's why he was let off." Retch nodded in Barkmeat's direction. "He should consider himself lucky. It isn't often when we allow second chances. I'm here to see if he has forsaken that chance. I haven't been able to do so as he was busy healing under the care of that merciful girl. Plus," he smirked, "he seemed busy the other night with you Waffle."

"Wait…you were watching my home? That is so creepy!"

"Yes, necessary though. But what makes me curious is…how did you two come to know each other? Word travels fast in our community, especially the street side, and no one knew of you two getting together. So, enlighten me with the details."

"Retch, I'm warning you…stay out of our business," Barkmeat snapped.

"Oh what's the _harm_ old friend? What do _you_ say Waffle? You want to tell me? Or does your boyfriend here have you on a short leash?"

Waffle felt a quick flood of anger. "That's private."

"Yes, yes, all right, one more question though; for you Waffle."

"What is it?"

"How can you stand living with a couple of cats?"

To say he felt like a wrecking ball struck him full force wouldn't do it justice. Waffle's bottom lip quivered. "Cats…what about the cats?"

"I think it's offensive that your owner would get a bunch of cats as well as you. It's really inconsiderate to have to put you through that."

Waffle's voice was barely above a whisper. "I don't have an owner."

"Really now…then what's up with the collar? Don't forget I saw you enter that humongous mansion, too."

Waffle played with the collar around his neck, forgetting he had fallen asleep with it on the other night. It would explain Hovis' humor. "I-we-that is the cats and I-used to have an owner, but she…died."

"Then that means you're no longer a pet."

"I…never consider the possibility."

"Then there's no reason for you to have to wear that collar." Retch reached to slip it off Waffle, but at that moment Barkmeat had bit his wrist.

Retch stumbled back, hissing in pain. Waffle noticed a thin trail of blood run from where Barkmeat bit him, the few specks on the defensive dog's jowls. Retch eyed Barkmeat savagely. "You're pushing your boundaries shrimp. Don't forget you are still under probation."

Waffle never recalled a time where Barkmeat's teeth were bared completely, the whites died a faded red. The cat trembled inwardly when Barkmeat uttered lowly, threateningly, "Come _near_ him, or _touch_ him again, and I will _rip your throat out_ next time."

Retch's eyes narrowed for a moment, before smiling chillingly. "Message received, _old friend_. Say…Waffle, have you ever been to a _fight _before?"

If this wasn't edging towards a fight as is, Waffle decided he didn't want to see one in full fledge. He shook his head a little too enthusiastically.

"That's a shame. There's one tonight actually, on the other side of the train tracks. You can come too if you so want to Barkmeat." Something the way Retch said this last part had Waffle wonder what he meant.

"Thanks, but no thanks," Barkmeat said with a sharp edging, gesturing for Waffle to start walking away, "we were just on our way home so if you will-"

"Actually no," Retch refused, side stepping the two's ways, now with Waffle in the front. Before Barkmeat could move the cat out of the way, Retch gripped Waffle's wrist, Waffle struggling to remain calm and complacent. Retch continued smiling that ill smile of his. "I heard you two just got out and the day is still young. As for you, Barkmeat, maybe you would like a small reminder not to test superiors."

Barkmeat growled, but said nothing. He looked at Waffle apologetically. "Try not to wonder when we get there Waffle. Trust me."

"Okay," Waffle said. He tried for a smile, but between him and Barkmeat, they knew it was weak. Forcing him to look at Retch and asked, "What are these fights anyways?"

Retch, Waffle wondered how his skin didn't split from it, smiled ever wider. "Wait till you see."


	10. Chapter 9

Nine

Gordon had searched the house from top to bottom for Waffle. It bothered him that his little brother wasn't around as he normally was. He wondered, as any parent would with an aggressive over protective agenda, if something had happened to Waffle.

As the cat was nearing the bottom of the stairs, Hovis was rounding the banister. "Hovis," Gordon said, worry lacing his tone, "have you seen Waffle around? I haven't seen him all day and everything seems to be intact."

"Ah, yes, he said he would be around."

"He's not though and soon it'll be late."

"It's only three 'o'clock in the afternoon."

"Still, the laddie is…"

Hovis sighed, begrudgingly. "Look, he said he'll be around, so he'll be around. Now if he's anything like you or Blik, mostly you thank the lord, he will be hanging where you would on occasion."

Gordon fiddled around with the woodwork of the banister. "Of course, of course, I'm just over worrying."

Hovis eyed the withdrawn feline. "Gordon…if you must know the truth…"

…

Waffle winced as he trailed his fingers lightly over the stitch work. He frowned, deep in thought over what has happened that had landed him here in Kimberly's bedroom, lying against her pillows and prodding the shallow wound. Without warning, his eyes over filled and he hastily wiped the unwanted tears away.

Barkmeat, who was still lying down beside him, keeping a close eye on Waffle, sat up when he saw Waffle wipe furiously at his eyes. A look of mingling concern and anger reflected in Barkmeat's eyes. "Waffle…"

Waffle dropped his hands onto his lap, staring sat them, throat feeling swollen and still misty eyed. "I can still smell him on me and I _still_ feel like he's…" but his voice started turning croaky, so he shut up.

Barkmeat wanted to tear somebody's tonsils out or liver or _something_, but one look at Waffle and he let it go for the time being. He, as awkwardly as it got for anybody, took the cat into his arms and Waffle curled up, resting his head in the crook just under Barkmeat's lower jaw. The dog took one of Waffle's ears and rubbed it, thinking back to this whole mess with that damn Retch.

…

"_Here we are," Retch announced, drawing Waffle up next to him, Barkmeat close by his side. Retch gestured with his free paw towards where he dragged Waffle and Barkmeat to. _

_The building was indeed located on the other side of the tracks. Its windows were either missing or shards still remaining stood out jagged along the ridges. Waffle may not be able to see what was going on in there exactly, but by the sounds of the shouting and cursing, it couldn't be anything good. He tried pulling away, but Retch still had a relentless hold on his wrist._

"_There's no reason to be frighten. It's not like you're involved." With that said, Retch started pulling the reluctant feline along, Barkmeat keeping close. _

_Retch led the duo down a narrow, dimly lit hallway and into a windowless room. There was a large, screaming crowd of hygienically challenged men, cursing and spitting and paying other filthy men off with a vulgarity gesture with fingers. This was not what scared Waffle the most though. That was towards the center of the ring._

_In the center ring were two large, muscular and saliva spitting dogs. They were chained on opposite sides, but just so they were in reach of each other. They were lunging at each other, biting, tearing, and bleeding equally. When they did stop, these two men, one for each dog, came and lashed out at the unfortunate animals until they resumed fighting. Waffle's eyes widened until they were bugging out of their sockets, his hands found his mouth to keep the bile at bay. He whimpered and nearly cried out when one of the dogs, a brown and white boxer, lunged and bit into his opponent, the opponent yelped piteously and tried prying himself loose, but the attacker kept him in place and only released the poor beast when there was a deafening snap and the dog collapsed. He didn't get back up._

_Barkmeat had been too engrossed in watching this scene play out that he didn't notice Retch stealing Waffle away, paw clasped over the kid's mouth. When he did, it was after the poor dog died. Frantic, and berating himself for allowing this to happen, of letting Waffle be brought here, Barkmeat hurried his way from the crowd of men as the men shouted for a new match. _

_While Barkmeat searched the area, Retch had tossed Waffle into a grey smudged and moss grown restroom. He snickered when the cat collided with the dirt floor on his back. as he neared Waffle, Waffle scampered to his feet, eyes on Retch the whole time. _

"_Are you scared Waffle?" Retch poked, mockingly, lips pulled back in a sneer._

"_No, I'm not," Waffle insisted, trying to level out the fear from his voice. "Why did you bring me here?"_

"_It was the only way I could get you alone without that shrimp interrupting."_

"_What do you want with me? I didn't do anything to you."_

"_True, but it still bothers me…how do you come to know Barkmeat?"_

"_He's a lot social then you think he is."_

"_You didn't answer my question." Retch lumbered over to Waffle, Waffle stepping back until his back was to the grimy wall. The cat went rigid as Retch sat down to his eye level; well, as much to his eye level as he could since he was so freaking tall. Retch cupped Waffle's face below roughly, eyes narrowed to slits. "Why can't you answer my question?"_

_Waffle whined and tried to free his face, but Retch wasn't going to let him go just like that. "Why does it matter to you?"_

"_Like I said-word travels fast within our community. I find it very interesting that Barkmeat would befriend another dog, especially when that dog has the same name as the cat who tricked him."_

"_You think I'm a dog?" The moment Waffle asked that, he realized the mistake, but he couldn't move as he was frozen to the spot, waiting for what Retch planned to do._

_Retch smiled villainously. "Caught you," he dragged a claw down the side of Waffle's face, earning a shiver, "I suspected you were that very cat who got under Barkmeat's skin. Did you know Waffle that he admitted that he wouldn't eat you alive even if he hadn't left you that day? He said that somehow he couldn't bring himself to do so, even after you got him out. He tried covering it up, but I saw through his so called tough façade that he took a liking to you; a really _big_ liking I may add. In fact, if I know him well, it was almost like he adores you. It really ruffled him up when I said I'd personally devour you, and before him, too."_

_Waffle gulped, feeling sickening unease. "How did you even find out what I looked like that you'd be able to find me?"_

"_There was a dog in the pound who witnessed your revelation. When his adoption by a local boy reached my ears, his claim of what he saw happened between you two intrigued me. I found him easily enough. He came looking for me in fact. He used to be a stray and knew how I viewed species intermingling with one another and thought it would be in my best interest. I confronted Barkmeat next, he's such a bad liar it was a no brainer that what I heard was true. The rest is history. I tracked him down to the park where that girl took him in and was I surprised to see you there as well. Two birds with one stone as they say."_

_Waffle should've seen what was coming next, but he still found himself caught off guard when Retch lifted him up and threw him across the floor and away from the wall. He skidded some, his breath hitching. Retch flipped him over so that the cat was lying on his front, the side of his face pressed to the cold grime of the floor. The smell would've bothered him, but the pressure of Retch's body on his back distracted him, unkempt claws dug into his back and Waffle didn't need to look to know that he was most likely bleeding now. _

_Retch leaned over Waffle, yanking the cat's ear up harshly enough to make Waffle cry out. When his muzzle breathed into that sore ear, Waffle whimpered as the stingy and musty breath hit the inside. This dog wasn't Barkmeat, who would've backed off, who wouldn't have bad breath or even handle him this roughly. This dog meant to literally go through with tearing Waffle to pieces._

_Waffle felt the urge to start crying inevitably and had to keep blinking to keep it at bay._

_Retch inhaled Waffle's sent, overcome with a relishing appeal. "So enticing…how could Barkmeat stand being near someone with a scent mortifyingly deliciously fruity and sweet." Retch raked his claw, the one that wasn't holding Waffle's ear captive, down the young cat's back. _

_Waffle sobbed. "Stop it and let me go. Please, don't do this."_

"_Begging won't help you here and don't think you can bribe yourself out of this like you did with Barkmeat. This isn't the pound. This is my territory and I'll do whatever I please and to whomever I please." Retch played with the ear he still held, smirking deviously. "I wonder if you taste as sweet as you smell." _

_Waffle yelped when he felt a fat tongue run up the side of his neck and then up the side of his face, right to the base of his trapped ear. The shaking was back and with a vengeance and worsened when he heard a euphonious, scratchy sigh. _

_Keeping his muzzle close to Waffle's neck, Retch's breathing overwhelming him. "Hm…you do taste sweet." Tossing Waffle onto his back, Retch peered down at him, predatory smile mean. _

_Suddenly, the weight of Waffle's attacker was lifted and as the teary eyed feline sat up shakily, Waffle saw Barkmeat clawing and biting into Retch, right in the face. There was a thundering growl as Retch knocked Barkmeat off of him, sending the smaller dog skidding back over to Waffle. _

_Barkmeat groveled to his feet, head lowered, teeth bared, and saliva drooling as his low and rough growl intermingled with Retch's own horrifying snarls. Suddenly, Retch went silent and grinned as if he knew a little something Barkmeat didn't._

"_Hey Barkmeat, your friend there is incredibly sweet; a real kicker too. I like that about them. Oh, and guess what? I know he's that damn cat you have taken such a liking to. You really know how to pick them don't you, you traitor."_

"_Jack ass," Barkmeat barked, "shut your mouth!" _

"_I am not in the wrong you pathetic shrimp!" _

_If Barkmeat had fingers he'd be flipping Retch off. Instead, the canine gestured to him, "I told you if you so much as come _near _or _touch_ him again I will _rip your throat out_. I won't because he's here, but I'll tell you one more time and you better nail it into that _thick _skull of yours: he is MINE. Do you hear me? He is MINE, nobody else's and if you so much as _look_ at him in the wrong way I'll paint a landscape piece on a canvas with your _blood_, using your _brains_ as a _sponge_!"_

"_Then I will have to kill you both; such a shame too Barkmeat. You were the only one to have been given a second chance and you tossed it out."_

_Retch headed to the door, Barkmeat pulling Waffle behind him. Before leaving though, he cast a glance over to the sight before him and chuckled thickly. "I'll see you soon Waffle." He left, letting the bathroom door slam three times on his way out._

_Barkmeat quickly turned to Waffle, who was just starting to stop crying. "Barkmeat…"_

_Barkmeat was busy looking over the scratches delivered to Waffle's back. "What is it?"_

"_I'm so sorry."_

_Barkmeat flinched and looked at Waffle. His eyes became downcast with anger. "Stop apologizing for ridiculous things," he said gruffly; then, in a softer tone, "It's not your fault. I was bound to screw up sooner or later."_

…

Kimberly was sitting at the kitchen table, looking over her agenda for any possible homework she missed when the phone ring. Getting up and managing to catch it on its last ring, she said hello.

"Hello, Human Kimberly," Gordon greeted, wearily, "Hovis has informed me that you had invited Waffle for a sleepover. Is this true?"

Kimberly tightened her hold on the phone, recalling back when the cat and dog came to her front door at noon, Waffle scratched up and Barkmeat roughed up. After taking care of Waffle and then patching up Barkmeat, she had headed over to the mansion, told Hovis what has happened, and he told her his promise. The two decided to come up with the sleepover bit as a cover up until Waffle decides to come clean about Barkmeat. Although, what their relationship is, Kimberly wasn't sure, but will let him take his time on the problem.

As for dealing with Gordon, she hated lying to him like this but… "Yes, I did invite him over. I thought he told you it would be for a week." This should allow time to fade the possible scars and hide the stitching for now. "Is it okay if he stays over for a week?"

Gordon was befuddled as to why Human Kimberly would want such a long sleepover and with Waffle; not that it wasn't wrong; it was nice Waffle was getting along with the girl more often. He knows Waffle won't take his place for Kimberly. It was odd, but… "Yeah, that's fine. Just make sure he gets home in one piece."

Kimberly laughed nervously before hanging up. She would try, but there were no promises.

Trying to distract herself, she went back to minding her agenda.

…

Barkmeat will _kill_ Retch.

Waffle had started crying again in his sleep. Barkmeat had to wake him and tried to comfort the cat, though he was a newbie when it comes to showing care openly. He rubbed Waffle's back, careful so as to not pull on the stitches, which were thankfully not so bad.

As Waffle's crying subsided into small sniffles, Barkmeat thought it was okay to talk to him. "Hey Waffle…"

"Yeah Barkmeat…" Jeez, he sounded so defeated.

Swallowing back the rage, Barkmeat said, "I _meant_ what I said back there…you know."

To the dog's slimmer of happiness, the cat fidgeted. "You _mean_…what you said about…"

"You _are_ mine. When that damn Retch was_ threatening_ you like that it…_ticked_ me off. I wanted to do _more_ than bite his throat out; I wanted to_ rip_ him to_ pieces_. So…"

"You_ want_ me? You're not just playing _mind_ games."

Barkmeat sat all the way up, bringing Waffle with him, so that they were staring at each other directly. "Yes, I _am_ serious." He smiled and, much to his relief, Waffle returned it. "I _also_ remember someone confessing that he loves me, too."

"Yeah, _well_…you know, I did the _last_ time too."

"That _long_ huh?"

"Hey, like _you're_ one to talk! I heard that you do _too_ and you didn't _exactly_ cover it up good when we first hung out."

Barkmeat laughed, Waffle joining in. When the laughter died down, the dog looked at the cat and moved closer. "Waffle…I know you just went through hell today, I didn't intend for that, but…I want to try something."

Waffle laid back, Barkmeat's paws on him. The dog examined the cat, Waffle smiling a small smile: go ahead. Barkmeat closed the space between them.

It still surprised Waffle how _gentle_ Barkmeat could be. Waffle smiled brighter, a little humored at how hesitant Barkmeat was, lingering there, lips pressed softly against his. Waffle's eyes slid shut as Barkmeat deepened it. There was no rude intrusion of a tongue, it was sweetly awkward. To Waffle, it made for a good first kiss. He thought things like this were appalling and couldn't understand why anyone would want to do this, but…it was nice;_ really_ nice. But _Barkmeat_…something was _itching_ him the wrong way.

At this thought, Waffle frowned and leaned away, turning his head to the side. Barkmeat, seeing the glum expression, felt put off, but in a saddened way. "_Sorry_ I…probably _shouldn't_ have…"

Waffle sighed and looked at Barkmeat. "It's not _that_…the kiss was _perfect_ for a first one." Waffle trembled. "The fact that you _like_ eating cats…"

Barkmeat lay down next to Waffle, arms enveloping him. "As far as _I'm_ concerned, _you're_ the _only_ exception I am _willing_ to make and Retch can go to _heck_ for all I give a _damn_."

"Still... it _bothers_ me. And Retch…"

Barkmeat growled gutturally. "The next time I see him I'm going to-"

"No, _don't_ you _dare_ say it," Waffle said, turning so he was half sitting, looking down at the dog. His brows were arched down, but he looked more worried than anything. "I don't want you to_ try_ anything. If he _kills_ you…"

Normally, should Barkmeat have heard this, he would've laughed it off. This time though, he only smiled with half enthusiasm. "You're acting like such an over worried girlfriend." At Waffle's expression, he added, with a sigh, "Okay, I won't go _looking_ for trouble. Should he _come_ to _me_ or _you_, I _will_ act on it."

Waffle smiled, brightening Barkmeat. "_Fair_ enough I guess."

Barkmeat hooked a paw around Waffle's striped ear and kindly pulled on it. "And, since it's _you_, and I will _only_ do this for _you_, I will…_try_ not to…you _know_…eat your _kind_."

Waffle smiled softly. "Thank you." Lying back down, he curled up against Barkmeat, the dog pulling him close.

Barkmeat grimaced, wondering if this was going too fast; he should tell him about…"Waffle?"

"Hm…"

The dog swallowed thickly. "Do you…want to know _why_ I hate cats?"

…

Retch wasn't all talk. He was also all bite.

_Barkmeat was going to get what he deserves. As a bonus, I'm going to force him to watch Waffle die slowly and painfully while he can't do a thing._

_They forget…I do know where they live. It's only one of two houses. _


	11. Chapter 10

Ten

Barkmeat woke with a groan when Kimberly opened the door and walked into her bedroom. Cracking his eyes open to slits, he saw the blurry form of the nine year old wearing another one of her bright smiles, only this one was more on the slyness part.

Barkmeat shut his eyes and said in barely an audible mutter, "What's with the smirk?"

"Oh nothing," the girl said in a sing song voice, poking Barkmeat gently in the shoulder, "you two are just so sweet together."

Barkmeat yawned widely before grudgingly getting to a sitting position. He looked at an amused Kimberly in annoyance, but this could be due to the fact that he was just waking up. "What now?"

"_You_ and _Waffle_…falling asleep together…that _kiss_."

Ah…coffee has _nothing_ against finding out a fourth grader saw you kiss someone you _adore_ for the first time without you _realizing_ it to wake the nerves up first thing in the morning.

Barkmeat nearly choked on his tongue. "You_ saw_ that?" he nearly shouted.

"Why do you think I didn't come to bed last night?"

Trying to change the subject, he _really_ didn't need a bombardment of_ questions_ from a curious kid; Barkmeat noticed that Waffle wasn't in the room with them. "Where's Waffle?"

"He's downstairs in the kitchen. _Oh_ and I have something to tell you two. My dad headed to work all ready and my mom has a lot of errands to do today so they said that I could be the one to tell you."

…

Waffle waved enthusiastically as Kimberly and Barkmeat entered the kitchen. For years to come Barkmeat would wonder how the duration of the kitchen was splattered with strawberry jam and the cat got out unscathed by the mess he made.

Kimberly appeared unfazed that her kitchen was covered with jam. She just smiled. "Hi Waffle, what're you making?"

"I'm making bagels," to the puzzled dog, "with jam spread on them with little seeds."

There was the flicker of a smile Barkmeat had on. Kimberly however noticed the toaster starting to produce smoke. "Um, Waffle, question."

"Yeah Kimberly, what is it?"

"You didn't spread the jam on and _then_ put it into the toaster did you?"

"Why, what would happen?"

As if waiting for this one particular question to be asked, the toaster decided it was a perfect time to combust. Waffle ducked down as it did so and after the smoke cleared, Kimberly cautiously approached to inspect the damage.

"My parents aren't going to like that the toaster broke."

Waffle straightened and glanced sideways at Kimberly. "Well, look on the bright side."

"There's a bright side?" Barkmeat asked.

"At least the toaster isn't singing nonstop."

Kimberly blinked several times before bursting out laughing. Waffle smiled gleefully while Barkmeat could only look on with a mild sense that the girl might be losing her mind before him. When the child did stop laughing, she said, "That's true. I don't think I could've lived with a singing toaster all the time."

"What exactly do you mean by a singing toaster?" Barkmeat asked.

"Oh, that's right, you weren't here for that. Waffle's brother, Gordon, traveled to the center of the earth and changed the core just so I could get an "A" on my project. He was really sweet to do that, making everything all sparkly and rainbows, but I prefer this world better. Plus, the other one went crazy and starting killing the world with kindness."

"Wait, _that's_ why everything was all colorful and trippy," Barkmeat snapped, recalling that time. Jeez, there was so much…glitter and sweetness that it literally made him sick, "because tubby did it? Why would he do something like that?"

"Oh, that's easy," Waffle chimed in, "that's because-"

Somewhere off in the house a phone rang. Kimberly darted out to go catch the call.

"That's because Gordon has a big crush on her," Waffle finished for Barkmeat. "He really likes her."

"He must have if he was willing to corrupt everything." Barkmeat shivered at the horrid memory.

"So what were you?"

"What do you mean 'what was I'?"

"Everything changed. Gordon was some chubby animal looking thing, Mr. Blik was this black and white stuffed mouse doll, and Hovis was a ginger bread cookie. It was kind of funny too because a bunch of bunnies ate parts of him so when things got turned back to normal he was all out of place for a while. It wore off eventually."

Barkmeat scratched at his head. "I really don't think you want to know."

"I do though."

"Really, you do want to know?"

Waffle just smiled in response.

Barkmeat sighed heavily, admitting defeat. "All right, I was…turned into a…doll, too."

"What kind of doll?"

Barkmeat glowered, but only halfheartedly. "You're not going to let it go are you?"

"Nope," was the only answer Barkmeat got.

"_Fine_, I was a…_cat_ doll."

Now it was Waffle's turn to laugh. He started laughing so hard he slid down against the wood work of the island, hunched over and clasping his hands over his middle. Barkmeat huffed and shoved the cat onto his side. Waffle's laughter died down to snickers, turning over onto his back and giving Barkmeat the leverage to sit on him.

Waffle stopped and looked up, smiling still. "Talk about conflict of interest, you do realize that this puts a whole new meaning to the phrase right?"

Barkmeat busied himself with playing with the cat's ears. "What do you mean?" he said, though he already knew the answer.

"You are what you eat after all."

Barkmeat stopped playing around with the ears, and looked complacent at Waffle, head cocked slightly. Waffle stiffened and his smile turned nervous when Barkmeat started smiling crookedly. The dog leaned closer and said in a hushed voice, "You know what I would like to eat instead of the bagels?"

"I…wouldn't know," Waffle said, equally quiet now. His smile was starting to waver.

Twice, Waffle had felt this _close_ to jumping out of his skin, only this time it was on the pleasant, excitement side. Barkmeat nibbled the crook of the cat's neck after he slipped the spike collar off of him and said, "I would like to go for a waffle."

Waffle relaxed, a fuzzy blanket was wrapped around his insides, not a totally unpleasant feeling. He jumped a small jump when the dog licked at the spot he's been nibbling, earning with a coy smirk a light sigh from the feline. Gripping the feline's wrists firmly to the floor, Barkmeat leaned in and-

And was not prepared for the nine year old girl to come running in and gave a noise that sounded like a scream and laughter at the same time.

Barkmeat reeled back, giving his own cry of surprised, while Waffle just sat himself up briskly and stare at Kimberly, eyes wide enough to come popping out of his head.

"Jeez, don't you kids make noise when you're nearing a room or something?" Barkmeat said, airily, wondering how much Kimberly saw. He was not good at keeping a filter on around her.

Though she was excited, the child couldn't help but apologize. "Sorry, sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt a moment. Waffle, your brother, Gordon, called."

"Oh yeah, what did he want?"

"He says that if you go home earlier to get something don't be surprised that he and Blik aren't there. They went to stock up on more root beer."

Nerves calming down, Waffle said, "Okay, did someone feed Gomez and the others?"

"Yeah, Hovis took care of it."

Barkmeat, who had been pounding his chest to get his heart beating again, said, "Who this Gomez is and what others?"

"Splee, they're my pet newts!"

"You mean those lizard things right?"

"Splee!"

"I'm going to take that as a yes."

"Waffle loves his newts," Kimberly added in, "and he speaks Newteguese, too."

"Excuse me?"

"He understands what they're saying." Kimberly tapped her chin as if in deep thought. "Come to think of it, he can understand a lot of other animals. He befriended a bunch of lobsters while on vacation once. Came in handy too because he had to get his brothers out of a jam."

"What kind of jam?"

"Blik was getting mad that Gordon was repaying him with overloads of gratitude after Blik saved him from choking on lobsters, so Blik and Waffle staged a false problem. It backfired so Waffle went and asked his lobster friends for help. Which worked out fine and Gordon vowed never to eat another lobster again."

Barkmeat grinned meanly. "Saved by the one he eats; nice," he said sarcastically.

Kimberly smirked, "Yeah, that makes two of you." She pointed with her thumb at Waffle, who went back to dealing with the bagels, long since charred.

Barkmeat fumed. "That was totally different and you know it, too!"

Kimberly laughed well naturally, Waffle looking up in confusion at the unexpected shout. "Okay, okay…I know it is and it worked out well for the both of you. This isn't what I wanted to tell you, though," she said.

Eyebrows arched up, Barkmeat said, a bit calmer, "Well out with it."

"My parents agreed to let you stay here Barkmeat. That is if you want to."

Well, he wasn't expecting _that_. Barkmeat _did_ expect a decision on this matter, but he hadn't thought of the possibility of the Human Kimberly's parents letting him stay here _permanently_. It has been a while now and he had fully healed or so; still…to have a permanent home? He hadn't had an actual home in what felt like an eternity and even then it was... the thought of having someone watch over him instead of fending for his own self…it was a strange sensation to think of, let alone have.

Plus, he was still caught up on the past…

"Excuse me for a second," Barkmeat said lowly, lost in these thought. He trotted out through the kitchen door and into the backyard, leaving behind a puzzled Kimberly and a worried Waffle. He wondered around in a seemingly aimless circle, face scrunched in obvious contempt and disgruntlement.

_A home…is she crazy? I couldn't…_

_Sure I could; she's so kind, much more so than THEM…_

_But I am a basket case…and on top of that I have a bad reputation…_

_Is that really all my fault? After all, where I came from wasn't exactly peachy…_

_Well consider this as your ticket out of that hell…_

_But-_

_Human Kimberly is the best owner you could ask for…_

_Still though-_

_AND Waffle lives just next door…_

Someone tapped on the canine's shoulder. Barkmeat wheeled around, teeth snapping. Guilt shot through him like a lightning bolt when he saw a mildly shocked and increasingly worried Waffle, rubbing his hands together. To others, they probably wouldn't have noticed that the cat was trembling the slightest bit. They most likely wouldn't have noticed the slim line of burgundy run down from the hand Waffle was rubbing at.

Unfortunately, Barkmeat had the high senses to see this. He reached out as though to pull the cat into a hug, but stopped himself, figuring Waffle didn't want him to touch him right then. He was caught off guard when Waffle followed through with it, encouraging the dog to do so in the end. Waffle rested his head on the dog's shoulder.

"Sorry about…snapping at you," Barkmeat mumbled. "I was…mad about something."

"It's fine. It's not bad."

Barkmeat gently separated Waffle from him and took the hand that he nipped at. Waffle wasn't lying, it wasn't all that bad, but it was just so enough to cause him to bleed shallowly. His brows furrowed and Barkmeat licked the tiniest sliver that bled. Waffle cringed an inch, but didn't pull away.

Barkmeat did two licks before ceasing and looking it over. The bleeding stopped, but it would easily start again if it wasn't addressed. First thing was first though…

"Barkmeat…"

"What, does it sting?"

Waffle shook his head. "It's not that. What were you so mad about? Was it something Kimberly said, because she's thinks it was because of her."

It was Barkmeat's turn to shake his head no. "It's not her fault and I'll tell her so, but…do you remember when you asked me how I became a stray in the first place?"

"Was that what you were thinking about?"

"Kind of, it's just…" the aggravated canine ran a hand down his face and rushed out, "I have_ issues_ with owners. The ones who were _supposed_ to be mine were not exactly the nicest people in the world. In fact, as my _own_ choice of words for them, they were a _no_ good couple of _filthy_ pieces of insect infected _garbage_ who had _holes_ where their hearts were supposed to be."

"So, they were jerks."

Barkmeat sat under the tree and beckoned to Waffle to join him, which he obliged. "They were along the lines of monsters really."

"You mean more of a monster than a three headed kraken from the planets of the Krakens?"

Okay, Barkmeat will ask about _that_ later. "Yes, worse than whatever the heck a kraken is. Do you know what you saw the other day Waffle? I'm talking about that fight you were forced to see."

Waffle flinched and suddenly felt colder than it already was. "I do and I don't."

"That was called a dog fight. Certain dogs, pit-bulls, boxers, mastiffs probably, and other dogs known for having a fighting record, are bred to fight each other until both or one of them dies." Barkmeat pushed back the fur around his neck and Waffle saw, though faded over time, the unmistakable scars of bite marks and claws. It was like someone sucker punched the cat in the stomach. "My owners were in charge of the matches in a different area of California. I was sold to them when I was six months old from a place down in Nevada. I was forced into being trained to fight in those _disgraceful_ so called 'matches.' If I didn't obey the training or orders, they would use various methods of what they thought was _disciplining_. It varied from being _whipped_ several times until I bled for weeks to being kicked hard enough to _puke_."

"What did you do?" Waffle spoke so quietly that he barely heard himself ask the question. He felt like he was going to puke just hearing this.

"I did as I was told. You do _whatever_ you have to when you are living under that 'care.'"

"Does that mean…you _killed_ other _dogs_?"

Barkmeat looked away as though he was ashamed. In truth, he _was_. "I wasn't given an option. If I didn't, I wouldn't be here having this conversation with you. The other opponents were older than me and had the order ingrained into their heads: _Kill_ or be _killed_. I didn't want to die."

It was silent for a long time. "How did you get out of that mess?" Waffle asked.

"There was this animal's rights organization that was onto my owners' case and had invaded the place the matches were held in. In the mayhem that ensued, my chain leash had been unhooked as people were rushing all around me and this other pitiable fellow. Someone must've accidentally loosened the plank that kept my leash in place and it wasn't too difficult to unhook the leash then. I didn't know these people were from the organization. I just took the chance to slip away. When I thought I was far away enough, here in this town, I slept for the first time in an alley. It occurred to me as I was falling asleep that I was finally free from having to fight; from having to fight others just to live another day. I didn't mind scavenging for scraps tossed away into the garbage. It was so much better than tearing a dog's throat out because your owners' found it as a form of entertainment." Barkmeat spat, growling. "It's not entertainment Waffle, to have to kill for someone's disgusting enthusiasm. That is no way to live."

Another silent moment happened, this one longer.

Waffle hesitantly held Barkmeat's clenching and unclenching hand. Barkmeat looked sideways at the nervously smiling cat, the slimmest of smiles starting to come. Waffle leaned against Barkmeat, Barkmeat wrapping his arm around the cat's shoulders and keeping him close.

"I'm sorry," Waffle said.

"What do you have to be sorry for? You didn't put me into that hell hole." Barkmeat massaged the stripe ear. Why he likes petting this ear, he had no idea why.

Waffle wiped his eyes. "I know…it's just not fair. You shouldn't have had to be put through that. Nobody should be."

"Unfortunately Waffle…that's what happens. Not many care either."

"I care."

Barkmeat smiled softly, well, as softly as he could with his teeth sticking out. He quickly kissed the top of the cat's head (_that_ was going to take some _major_ getting use to). "I know you do…thanks."

"Kimberly isn't like those owners of yours either. She's really good at heart. Her parents are even better. You shouldn't feel afraid."

Barkmeat snorted. "I don't feel fear. I eat fear."

Waffle smiled. "You eat it on a bagel, with jam, and tiny seeds; I know. Still, you should take her up on that offer. Aren't you tired of having to eat scraps?"

"I couldn't afford to be picky, but I see your point. Yes, I am tired of it."

Waffle kissed the dog on the cheek. "Plus I'd like to have you next door." He smiled.

"Okay…I'll take it." Barkmeat smirked and pulled Waffle in the front of him. "You got a little bit of jelly on the side of your face." He licked it off, causing the cat to squirm weakly and said halfheartedly and not meaning it at all to 'stop it.'

…

Kimberly was biting her nails when Barkmeat and Waffle came back in and immediately was relieved to see that the dog was no longer looking like bad thoughts clouded his mind. However, when he explained to her the reason why he left the way he did, she grew melancholy.

When he finished, she said, "I didn't know."

"It's okay. It's been better. As for that offer…I would like to have a home."

"YAY!" Barkmeat wouldn't have suspected that Kimberly had the strength of ten heavy weight wrestlers as the child wrapped him in a bear hug and all but squeezed the life out of him.

To Waffle, he said chokingly, "Is this how you felt when I did this?"

Waffle laughed. "Not like she's doing it, no."

Realizing her lethal affection, Kimberly immediately released the dog, who wheezed some as the air came rushing back. "Sorry about that," she said apologetically. "I'm just so excited. I should tell Gordon and Mr. Blik!"

At this, both Waffle and Barkmeat shouted: "NO DON'T DO THAT!"

Kimberly looked putting off. "Why not; they're bound to find out eventually."

Waffle shook his head and said in a jumble of words that only Kimberly would understand. "No, no, no, no, no, no! They will not like this at all!"

"Why, did something happen that you forgot to mention Barkmeat?"

Barkmeat laughed nervously. "I sort of…almost ate them?"

"Oh, oh yeah then they'll definitely disapprove. Still, you're going to be their neighbors." Kimberly paused before adding, "They should also know about you two."

Waffle choked and Barkmeat said, casting a look at the grey cat, "That's not likely to happen as of now."

"Well, when would you like them to know? This won't stay secret for long. They'll notice something is up when Waffle keeps wondering off over here or elsewhere with you."

"Waffle and I will figure that out. For now, just keep this exciting news to yourself."

"Okay, why doesn't Waffle show you around his home? I doubt you saw much of it the night you went and spend an over nighter with him." Kimberly wiggled her eyebrows, though to her own self she hadn't the faintest clue what they did that night.

Barkmeat looked over at Waffle, Waffle managing to calm himself enough to say, "That is fine. Gordon and Mr. Blik won't be back for a while. We buy a giant safe worth of root beer."


	12. Chapter 11

Eleven

The bulky built of a feline made his way along the wall of a mansion, and not just any mansion, but the mansion of his owners' dreaded rivals and much better off cat neighbors.

The scruffy looking animal named Bootsie halted and waited for the accomplice he met the day before to arrive. When he did, the cat said briskly, "What took you so long?"

"Funny, I thought cats were patient," said a curt reply.

"Yeah, yeah well…you said this would be worth my time so start laying out the plan."

"Oh it is very much worth your time. For you see," here the accomplice revealed himself, a face seemingly innocent and adorable harboring a scheming personality, "we both want the same thing."

"Yeah, and what is it?"

"We both want a particular cat to suffer. You want revenge on that black one for dissing you."

"What about you?"

The blue mouse grinned toothily. "I want to twist the life of that grey cat right out of him."

…

Waffle was barely through the door when he felt something was off. Barkmeat saw the cat go stiff and looking around haphazardly. "What is it?" the dog asked.

Waffle frowned, not sure whether to be afraid or angry. "There's someone here."

"Is it anyone you know?" Barkmeat sniffed. There was something not right, that much was certain.

"I'm not sure…I'm sure I've smelt this scent before but…I'm not sure where." Waffle started walking off down the hallway, Barkmeat following close behind.

As the two checked the bottom level of the mansion, they soon enough found that it was deserted. Even Hovis was gone, most likely off to help Gordon and Blik with carting the root beer into Gear. So Waffle lead the way to the elevator to head to the next floor up.

The two waited for the elevator to go to the next floor; Barkmeat said, "So, you guys even have an elevator?"

"It's used when we don't feel like walking up all those stairs."

"That makes sense; how many stairs do you have?"

"The highest I counted was five. I'm pretty sure there's a couple more."

Barkmeat whistled. "Wow, so, like, did this old lady of yours-"

"Her name was Ms. Cramdilly."

"Did Ms. Cramdilly have any children? Because there are enough rooms I bet to house at least ten or more."

"No, she never married or had any. Our mother-Mr. Blik, Gordon, and my- could count as a daughter to her though. Ms. Cramdilly loved her from what we were told enough."

"Your mother…where is she now?"

Waffle shrugged, a small note saddened. "We're not sure. We think she might be dead. She wasn't exactly young when she had my brothers and me. I…don't remember much about her. I don't think my brothers do either, except for a couple of memories."

Barkmeat shifted some, a tad awkward. His skin tingles from how off Waffle was being this quiet, though Barkmeat could relate. He had only six months spent with his own mother and those were also foggy. He thought of offering some small words of hesitant comfort, but before he could even open his mouth, he vaguely registered that there was a loud bang, collapsing. The last thing he saw was Waffle's stunned expression as he first stared down and then above him. There was a big goon of what must've been a cat lumbering over to Waffle, who pressed himself up to the wall of the elevator.

Barkmeat passed out.

Waffle didn't have much time to say anything except the name of the monstrosity of the cat before Bootsie knocked him clean out with the metal bat.

…

When Waffle came to, the first thing he noticed was that his mouth had a filthy rag bounded around his mouth and that his hands were tied to his feet. He recognized that he was in his basement, lying on his back. He started struggling with his binds when a familiar, squeaky voice cooed at him.

"It's been a while; caught any other mice?"

Waffle turned his head and screamed a muffled scream. Squeakus laughed bitterly. "Glad to know that dimwitted brain of yours remembers who I am. Not that it will do you much good. Oh, and do you like the liberty I took to make sure you don't use that rotten trick with the cat breath? I thought it was a good idea."

Waffle tried muffling something and Squeakus cupped a hand behind his ear, mocking. "What's that? You have to speak up."

Waffle heaved an irritated sigh and just stared angrily at the pip squeak.

Squeakus grinned chillingly and pointed over to Bootsie, who lean up against the wall, looking bored. "I thought you would like to know I had a little help dragging your sorry rear here. I wasn't counting that you had a dog with you. Good thing Bootsie there has enough brains to knock your friend out first before you."

Bootsie growled.

"Oh knock it off will you? Don't forget you want to get under that black cat's skin by gutting this fool here."

Bootsie smiled, though it looked more like he was grimacing. Waffle asked a question through the gag.

Taking a shot in the dark, Squeakus explained nauseatingly, "It means exactly what I said. You mucked up my name when you sabotaged me, so now, in turn, I'm gonna cut you from the inside out with the help of that goon there." He pointed again at Bootsie, his savage smile growing wider. "And I'm going to take my sweet time with it too." Slipping the mouth gag off, he added in, "I want to hear you scream your lungs out while I do it too."

"Jokes on you," Waffle said snappishly, "you don't have a knife or anything."

Squeakus rolled his eyes. "You honestly think I didn't prepare for this? You really are an idiot."

"If I'm such an idiot, how was it that I caught you?" Waffle smiled, triumphantly.

Squeakus shook his head, turned and walked over to the boxes, disappearing behind one of them. From behind them, he said, "Let me remind you that it took you several times to do so. Also, you made one mistake in catching me."

"Yeah and what is that?"

Squeakus returned, dragging and brandishing a relatively large kitchen knife, the one used for cutting vegetables. That horrid smile was back. "You should've killed me when you had the chance." To Bootsie, he nodded.

Grabbing Waffle and untying him, Bootsie held the frantically thrashing feline. Squeakus was losing patience fast. "Can't you hold him still? I don't want this to be a sloppy job!"

"Get off of me!" Waffle screamed and kicked Bootsie square in the face, sending him stumbling back and clasping his bruised face. The grey feline leaped to his feet and took off running, ticking Squeakus off into yelling at Bootsie to go catch him.

Waffle just reached the bottom of the steps leading up and out of the basement when brute hands lifted him from under his arms and sent him flying away, crashing back down onto his back in a second. Bootsie sat on and grabbed Waffle's wrists and contained them against the basement floor. Waffle screamed and Bootsie slapped him across the face.

Bootsie leaned over a whimpering Waffle and spat, "You little whelp. Kick me in the face will you?" He raised a fisted hand.

Waffle cried out and turned his head away. He waited for the punch, but it didn't come. Instead, he looked up in time to see Bootsie howl in unspeakable pain as a flash of brown fur came barreling into sight, tackling the villainous feline off of Waffle. Turning onto his front, Waffle saw Bootsie frantically and desperately trying to keep Barkmeat from biting into his neck. The dog's claws were scratching at him, Bootsie bleeding almost instantly. When Waffle saw with horrified eyes that Barkmeat successfully pinned Bootsie's wrists to the floor, his jaw opening wide, and Bootsie's wide, terrified eyes, Waffle found his voice.

"Barkmeat you promised!"

The dog stopped in mid-bite. Barkmeat looked between Waffle and the trapped cat, a snarl on his muzzle. The seconds seemed to tick by in too long of a stride. Waffle, trembling, got to his feet and cautiously walked over to the split canine, trying for his best comforting smile. Barkmeat stared a long time at the approaching feline and then glowered down at Bootsie.

Waffle stood by Barkmeat's side and said evenly, "It's okay; it's okay now. I'm all right."

Barkmeat's, to Waffle's relief, face relaxed, still frowning. He stared down at Bootsie, who remained silent, clearly still afraid that the dog would change his mind. Who knows, Barkmeat might decide to do just that.

"Fine," Barkmeat said, obviously not pleased at all, "but I'm not letting him go."

Waffle smiled weakly. "Right, we'll just bring him home. I'm sure he now knows not to come near this place anymore." He shot his rare 'I'm actually really, really, _really_ mad at you' glare before averting his eyes around for a certain mouse.

Squeakus was running towards a crack in the wall when Waffle took him by his tail and lifted him up. For once, his eyes were wide with fear. "What're you going to do to me?"

"Hm," Waffle said, "I know exactly what to do with you."

…

After dropping off a stone cold Bootsie, who scampered inside his home like hell's flames were at his feet, Waffle and Barkmeat walked back to the mansion, standing outside the wall, above a storm drain. Squeakus dangled by his tail from Waffle's hand.

"You're not serious?" he squeaked in disbelief. "You're going to drown me in the sewers?"

Waffle rolled his eyes. "Three days."

"Come again?"

"Rats are known to be able to swim for three days nonstop."

"I'm not a rat! I'm a mouse!"

"Yeah, well, your two species are close enough that you'll do find."

"This is ridiculous! I demand you let me go!"

"Okay, if that's what you want." Waffle released Squeakus and the horrible fur ball disappeared into the drain, screaming. Waffle stared down for a second or two as the mouse's screams faded away. He clapped his hands together and said a little too brightly, "Well, that's that."

Barkmeat raised an eyebrow. "You're not bothered by this?"

"Should I be?"

"I-well, he did try to kill you."

Waffle's smile dimmed, but not by much. "Yeah, he did, but he'll be fine. I just don't want him living in our house anymore." The cat shrugged. He looked over the dog and said quietly, "Ah, thank you…for saving me…again."

Barkmeat found a stray pebble to be intricately fascinating. "Yeah, well…you're welcome. I wouldn't want…anything bad happening…to you I mean." He found his throat suddenly scratchy and coughed. "I…"

Waffle cut him off by planting a rushed kiss on his lips and pulled back, smiling the most tense and awkward smile there was. "I do, too."

As it always seems to go, moments like these are always interrupted.

Retch sat on Barkmeat, paws wrapped around the smaller canine, bashing his head against the asphalt repeatedly while squeezing Barkmeat's airways closed. Barkmeat tilted his head back, coughing and choking as the diminishing air quickly lengthened to a point he couldn't even feel his head getting smashed against the cemented earth. Retch laughed, and it was the most horrible, evilest, icicle covered laughter heard.

Waffle was too shocked at first when Retch had bolted seemingly out of nowhere and tackled Barkmeat, choking him, that he wasn't able to move for several seconds. After the shock boiled down to immense anger and fear, the feline searched the area around for something to use and spotted it lingering by the base of the wall. Running to it and picking up the shard from a formerly intact bottle, Waffle turned back to Retch, who had started laughing insanely.

Retch's sights were only on Barkmeat, so he didn't notice Waffle running at him until the cat was on his back. He cried out vulgarity, trying to shake Waffle off. He screamed bloody murder when Waffle took the shard and stabbed the humongous dog right in the left eye. Retch at last tossed Waffle off, who thudded to his back and quickly stumbled to his feet.

Barkmeat hacked and coughed harshly when the air came rushing in. As he began breathing regularly and his senses focused in more, he had seen Waffle jump onto Retch, had seen the cat stabbed Retch in his eye, and was rudely tossed off. As the shrimp dog staggered to all fours, Waffle came rushing to him and helped him steady himself.

Retch, who was stumbling away from the two, was still screaming in horrific pain. He kept shouting, "My eye; you damn flea bag of a cat stabbed my eye out!" He was still trying to get the shard out as he lumbered away across the street. When he was on the other side, he shot Waffle such an ugly glare of pure vindictive, murderous wrath that the cat shrunk both physically and emotionally. The words shouted at him didn't help either.

"You just bought yourself a one ticket to a slow and bloody death you mangy cat! I'm going to take sick pleasure when I illicit scream after scream from you, just you wait!"

Then he was gone. Waffle buckled and sat down on the edge of the side walk, hunched over. His lips were trembling and he wiped shakily at them, ignoring the small specks of red on the hand that signed his death warranty. His eyes were rounder than the full moon and were watering over. Bile seemed to stick to the walls of his throat and he tried clearing it futilely.

Sensing his distress, Barkmeat sat down on his hind quarters and pulled a shaking Waffle to him. He whispered repeatedly that 'everything was okay' and 'he won't come near you, I'll make sure of it'. Though he himself was mind boggled that Waffle had actually _stabbed_ someone and _Retch_ for that matter. And Retch wasn't one to let things go. His mind did summersaults with the horror that Retch _will_ eventually get to Waffle; Retch always got what he wanted.

Barkmeat's hold tightened.

Waffle sobbed silently before saying chokingly, "H-he was k-_killing _you…I didn't-I mean I _wasn't_- I wasn't _trying_ to stab him in the eye!"

"It wasn't your fault. And I won't let him come near you." Trying to lighten the mood, he said, "I think this makes us even on the whole saving bit don't you think?"

Waffle laughed shakily. "No, you only saved me two times. I saved you three times. Once from the pound, once from Retch, and…"

"What's the last one?"

Waffle stopped shaking and crying, rubbing his eyes dry before giving Barkmeat a tired, but affectionate smile. "I think you know." He leaned towards him.

Barkmeat leaned in, finishing the connection. When he pulled away, not far, he whispered, "Thank you for saving me on a daily routine." Seeing Waffle smile, he leaned back in, catching the cat's lips. He fairly senses the cat calm down. Barkmeat found his hands and held them.

"Good _gopher_, what the heck is _this_ now!"


	13. Chapter 12

Twelve

Waffle jerked back and immediately found Gordon, who stood there with an unreadable expression. "Gordon, this isn't what it looks like!"

Rage flickered in blue eyes. "Oh-ho, really now," Gordon said bitingly, "I wasn't just seeing _Barkmeat_, the most_ terrifying_ dog who devours _cats_, _kissing_ ye?"

Waffle rubbed at the back of his head. "Oh…than it's_ exactly_ what it looks like."

"GORDON, would you go and get the-"Blik started, walking up, but stopped short, frozen at the sight before him, "WHAT THE HECK IS THIS?"

Gordon scolded. "Well, Mr. Blik, it _isn't_ exactly what it looks like. Barkmeat _wasn't_ just _kissing _our little brother."

Blik was, to say the least, flabbergasted. "Barkmeat-kissing-what-when-how-who…WAFFLE, what have you've been _doing_?" the black advanced onto the grey cat.

Barkmeat growled and snapped at the approaching black cat. Blik faltered. Then he was yelling loud enough for China to hear. "JUST WHAT THE HECK HAS YOU'VE BEEN DOING TO HIM?"

"Mr. Blik, it was-"Waffle started, but his oldest brother interrupted.

Mr. Blik pointed at the mansion. "GET _inside_ _**NOW**_! _You_ and_ I_ are going to sort out our _priorities_," he said, seething.

Waffle stood to go and do so with a lowered head when Barkmeat grabbed his wrist, thus keeping him from doing so. To Blik, he snarled, "He isn't someone you can _kick_ around."

Forgetting who he was talking back to, Blik hollered, "He isn't someone for you to _use_ for your sick _pleasures_!"

This Waffle yelled, fuming, "He's not using me! It's mutual!"

"No brother of _mine_ is going out with a _dog_ that likes to eat his _kind_!"

"He _promised_ he would _try_ not to do that!"

"_Try_, there's the key word!"

"He won't hurt me!"

Here, Gordon spoke up, neither angry nor kindly. "Waffle…what happened to your hand there?"

Waffle looked down at the hand in question and saw the fading mark where Barkmeat accidentally bit him. "I…I cut myself on some barb wire."

"Waffle…" Gordon started, softer than he was before, "he bit ye didn't he?"

"I said I cut myself on some barb wire!"

"Waffle, ye know we don't have any barb wire. He bit ye didn't he?"

Waffle shook his head, but realized it was pointless to deny anything, especially if it was towards Gordon. "It…was an _accident_. He didn't _mean_ to."

"AH-HA; see, he couldn't even_ try_ not to hurt you!" Blik pointed out needlessly, smirking in ill triumph. "He's a dog with a _bad_ reputation and _nothing _will ever change that!"

At this, Barkmeat lashed out, "I am not going to do _anything_ that will hurt him!"

"_Bah_, like you could stop yourself from _eating_ him _whole_ when the urge comes over you? That's to be expected from a _low life, no good, trashy stray, beast of an animal_!"

Before anyone could respond, Barkmeat lunged at Mr. Blik, who squealed shriller than a pig. The two crashed to the ground, Blik on the bottom, Barkmeat on top, spittle flying as he started barking at him inches from his face.

"**Listen to** _me_ **you** _lousy_ **excuse for a person**! I _love_ your brother enough to **never** harm him, _emotionally_ or _physically_! If I **didn't**, than I would not have bothered to _promise_ not to devour your kind anymore! If I hadn't, I would be _sucking the marrow from your thin as twigs bones and picking my teeth out with a rib bone_! I don't **care** if the two of you don't _like_ it, but until Waffle says _otherwise_, I'm here to _stay_! So _deal_ with it!"

Mr. Blik said nothing and only got to his feet after Barkmeat retreated off of him. It was Gordon who said, "Ye are _never_ allowed over here. Ye come within even_ feet_ of him or this mansion-"

Barkmeat smiled bitterly. "That's going to prove to be a _problem_ because a certain cute little girl just decided to_ adopt_ me. So guess what? You can _suck_ it!"

It was Gordon who was tongue tied. "Ye manipulative, mangy mutt-"

"Gordon, shut up!" Waffle interrupted. "It's already _decided_ so you sort of _do_ need to deal!"

"WAFFLE, GET INSIDE RIGHT NOW!" Waffle jumped at the unexpected screaming. "YOU GET INSIDE AND YOU WAIT FOR US! YOU HEAR ME? GO NOW!"

Barkmeat growled gutturally. "You fat son of-"

"Barkmeat…"

The dog looked to the cat, who didn't meet his eyes. "Go home," Waffle mumbled.

"Waffle-"

"Just go home. I'll be all right." Hugging him, the feline whispered, "Come back later tonight. Six should be okay."

Barkmeat tried to answer but Waffle detached himself and was hurrying his way up to the mansion, where Hovis, who had snuck by during the argument, opened the door for him. The dog turned back at the cats, who glowered back.

"This isn't over," Barkmeat said, hatred never so strong.

Blik walked by in a huff, Gordon remarking, "It is over." Than it was just the dog outside on the side walk, Gordon heading over to Kimberly's house.

Barkmeat gave one last glare before going home, making sure to go in through the back so he didn't have to see that jerk Gordon's face.

He was afraid he was going to tear it off if he did see it right now.

…

"I told you two were walking on thin ice with this," Hovis said to Waffle as the two stood in the foyer.

Waffle sighed. "I guess I knew it was going to end badly."

The front door opened and slammed shut and the grey tabby saw Blik entered. Something was storming in those yellow eyes and Waffle felt the fur on his back stand up when his brother said calmly, "In the kitchen, now."

Waffle thought it best not to object. As he walked the hall to the kitchen he heard Blik say to the butler, "Do NOT interfere with _this_ Hovis. This is between _me_ and _him_."

…

Kimberly opened the door, smiling, but her smile melted when she saw the brooding Gordon. A sight that was rare for her to see for herself. She couldn't even bring herself to say hello.

"We need to talk about your _friend_, Barkmeat," he said as leveled out as he could.

…

Barkmeat trotted into the kitchen and gazed around. The kitchen had been cleaned up until not a speck of jam could be seen, which made the canine wonder how long it was with all this business he and Waffle went through.

On the kitchen table was Waffle's collar. Kimberly must've put it there after cleaning. Barkmeat, after jumping up onto the chair, hooked his hand around it and begin fiddling with it.

What a mess it was when you come right down to it. It wasn't fair, for either one of them.

Wasn't that the story of his life though?

…

Waffle was standing by the counter when Mr. Blik came in. the youngest of the three brothers opened his mouth, but didn't have a chance to say what it was when the short, black cat slapped him across the face. The grey cat stumbled back a couple steps, a hand pressed to the cheek that stung.

Blik advanced on him, saying eerily calmly, "You will stop seeing him, you understand me yes?"

Waffle, biting his lower lip, said waveringly, "No."

Yellow eyes narrowed. "_Excuse_ me? Was I _asking_? NO, I was _telling_ you."

"I don't _care_. I'll see him _whether_ you want me to or _not_. You don't have a say in this."

Blik said nothing and somehow Waffle found that _worse_ because what came next had him _wishing_ he yelled at him instead.

Mr. Blik may be small, but when he punches it knocks the wind right _out_ of you. This one was delivered into Waffle's eye, sending him careening into the floor, but not before the side of his face connecting with the corner of the counter. Waffle cupped his eye; something warm and sticky ran down the side of his face. He barely had time to register the sound of a drawer opening and slamming shut and turning in time to see Blik take another swipe at his head with what looked like a meat cleaver.

Waffle cried out, the scream seeming to radiate around the kitchen. He attempted to skid away, but Blik grabbed one of his ears and jerked his head back. His breath hitched when the black cat kicked him in his side; three good, _hard_ ones. Blik released his ear, and Waffle's face rested on the cool floor. He started begging when Blik started whacking his back with the cleaver over and over, and when Waffle turned weakly onto his back and tried scooting away that way, Mr. Blik started in on punching him in the stomach, abandoning the cleaver seemingly for the moment.

Waffle managed to grab both of his brother's wrists. His voice was cracking as he said, "Stop it; _please_ Mr. Blik."

Blik ripped his wrists away, hissing, "Shut up you _ungrateful_ brat!" He gave a hallow kick into Waffle's pelvic region.

Waffle dry heaved, arms immediately encircling his wounded lower area. He rolled onto his side, eyes squeezed shut. However, they no sooner shot open again when Mr. Blik kicked him again, this one the hardest one out of any of them, right in his lower spinal cord. Later, the grey feline will wonder late at night how he was lucky he didn't become paralyzed from the waist down or died from that kick.

Waffle laid there still on his side, trying to smother the pained moans pounding around his throat. He kept his eyes focused on the kitchen table and kitchen chairs' legs, listening warily to his brother's rash breathing, hoping that Blik had gotten it out of his system.

Clawed digits dug into the back of his neck and Waffle cried. He silenced himself when he heard Mr. Blik's voice; cold and unforgiving say with venom, "You want to be with _him_, that _monster_? Fine, _go ahead_. You'll see _soon_ enough what he _really_ is." He lifted the poor kid's head up and slammed it back on the ground before standing straight up and walked away. He didn't say anything else.

All of what he said was in that beating. And those last words.

Waffle listened for the last of his brother's footsteps fade away, praying that was the last of it. when he was sure Mr. Blik wasn't coming back, he curled in on himself, his arms still around where he was kicked in the pelvic, the feeling of wanting to dry heave irritable, but kept at bay with struggling breaths. His lower back was sore beyond imagined, the cut on the side of his head was still bleeding, he could feel his fur drying and becoming bristled from it, and his eye pulsed viciously, almost swollen shut. The bruises from the meat cleaver weren't faring better either. All in all, it didn't feel or look like he suffered from any broken bones thankfully.

What his brother said was _twenty times_ worse than the physical bruising.

Waffle didn't know how long he laid there, the tiles of the kitchen numb to him. He supposed it didn't matter. The young cat balled up more, hands wiping hopelessly away at his eyes.

"_You want to be with_ _him_, _that_ _monster_? _Fine…"_

Waffle broke down and started crying.


	14. Chapter 13

Thirteen

"So, he had a rough first start," Gordon said, summing up what he heard from Human Kimberly's mouth about Barkmeat. His brow furrowed. It still didn't account for what the dog built up for him though! Still, Gordon, despite himself, couldn't help but feel the _smallest_ of pity he could for the mongrel. He was just that big, hearty of a fool. He couldn't even be mad at Hovis for being in on keeping it secret. "It doesn't matter though; he could've had built a better reputation! No, he eats cats."

Kimberly sipped at her ice tea. The two of them were sitting at her kitchen table drinking absently at the drinks. Barkmeat, once seeing them, had gone outside without so much as a word, not even a growl. "He eats cats I understand that; except for Waffle."

Gordon sighed. Waffle…"Yes, what is up with _that_? Barkmeat _hates_ cats with a burning passion, but _Waffle_? He doesn't show any signs of wanting to_ do_ so. It confuses me like _nothing_ else ever has."

"Hm…Barkmeat told me how he and Waffle met in an alley. Waffle said he was a dog and he took his word for it."

"Yes, I had Waffle take a personality test to see who he was. His 'hobbies' were getting to the point where he almost took my and Mr. Blik's head _off_ with the statue of a cherub."

"A statue of a cherub…"

"That week was Karate Cat."

"Anyway… During the time they hung out together it sounded like they grew close. Barkmeat said it hurt and made him angry that he was lying to about the fact that Waffle turned out to be a cat." Another drink before, "Barkmeat seems to really _like_ Waffle; and again after he stopped being angry that your brother was a cat instead."

"You really believed that he _loves_ him?"

"Well…" Kimberly trailed, "I may not know much about the meaning of love, but from what I walked in on, it looked about like love; in my opinion anyway."

Gordon rubbed at his temples. "It's still complicated. Waffle may be the same age as Mr. Blik and I, but he has the mentality of a young child. He'd get lost following a bee."

"You should give him a little more credit. Doesn't he have his moments where he can make a choice?"

"Waffle can define large words where Blik and I couldn't. STILL though, the idea of Waffle around Barkmeat in anyway whatsoever is troubling. Perhaps if Barkmeat didn't have a reputation…"

"Gordon…"

"I mean come on; we're talking about my little brother engaging himself in a relationship with a dangerous dog!"

"Gordon!"

"What?"

"Have you talked to Waffle about it? I mean _really_ talked to him and not just jumping in on the yelling."

"Well-I-no, I have not. In fact, I told him to go home before coming over here. By the way, why did you decide to adopt Barkmeat? It's going to be trouble with a cat- eating -dog living next door."

"Have you ever stopped to wonder _why_ Barkmeat hates cats so much?"

"I actually haven't thought about it after we parted ways from him. I figured that was the last we would see of him. I was wrong. Plus, when I _did_ actually meet him he was busy trying to eat me whole."

"How'd you get out of that?"

"Waffle pried opened his jaw."

"Hm…"

"What?"

"I think you should give your brother more credit," Kimberly repeated. "Don't you think if Waffle could force open Barkmeat's jaws to let you out that he'd be able to handle Barkmeat?"

"He's still our youngest brother."

"I'm not saying you shouldn't be protective of him. That's what older brothers do. I'm just saying go talk to him about it."

Gordon thought it over. Now that he had calmed considerably, Human Kimberly made a valid point. Perhaps he did jump to conclusion. "You can be very insightful for your age Human Kimberly."

"What else?"

"I will talk it over with Waffle."

…

Barkmeat was lying down under the tree, counting the minutes when he would go over to see Waffle that night. His eyes followed the fabric of the collar ten times already before he heard a thud and then a muffled yelp. The canine's head snapped over to the wall to see Waffle staggered to a stand and then wobbled over. Barkmeat's eyebrows shot up when he actually looked the cat over.

"What the hell happen to you?" Though once he asked he had an idea of who was the culprit.

Waffle edged himself to a seat beside the expectant dog. "It's nothing. It was just an…argument."

"You look like you were tossed through a meat grinder and then a paper shredder." The dog reached over to the feline, but Waffle shrunk away, flinching which enraged Barkmeat all the more.

"I don't want to be touch right now. It hurt just walking over here."

"Which one did it?" Barkmeat growled.

"Really, it's no big deal Bar-"

"Which _one_ Waffle?" Barkmeat gripped Waffle's wrist and yanked the cat closer. "Which one?" he repeated, voice deepened to a gravely guttural rumble. "Tell me now!"

"You're hurting my wrist!"

Barkmeat loosened the grip, but didn't let go. Stroking the fur, he said quieter, "Tell me who did it."

It grated the canine's nerves to hear that breaking tone from Waffle. "It was Mr. Blik, but-but-but it's _nothing_…out of the usual."

"This happens on a _daily basis_?"

"Yes-well _no_. It was never _this_ bad before."

Barkmeat brought Waffle in for a hug, careful not to squeeze him, and uttered in snarl, "I'm going to rip his _vocal chords_ out."

Waffle shook his head, though the act made him dizzy and he slumped against the dog. "No, don't do that…please? It's all over now so there's no reason to get mad about it."

"_No reason_?" Barkmeat held Waffle out at arm's length, looking incredulous. "Your brother just beat the_ tar_ out of you because of _me_! How the _hell_ do you expect me _not_ to be ticked off about _that_?"

Waffle started crying, his sight of the grass he was looking at while Barkmeat said this blurring. "Just leave it alone okay? Just let it go."

"But-"

"Don't you think enough crud happen for one day?"

Barkmeat uttered a frustrated sigh. Looking at the sobbing cat before him, he gently wiped the tears away, trying for a smile despite the ball of rage burning in his stomach. "Okay, okay…I'll let it go; for now. Promise me one thing though?"

"What?"

"The _next_ time that runt _tries_ or _does_ this again, let me know so he and I can have a little _talk_." Barkmeat smiled more twistedly. "Yeah, a nice, long, cat to dog talk; okay?"

Waffle tried a smile, but it came off small and tired. "Okay."

…

Kimberly opened the freezer and took out an ice pack. She handed it to Waffle, whose cut was dressed, the bruises still visible and ugly. The grey cat took and mumbled out a thank you before limping over to the table, sitting in the chair next to Gordon, whose face said he wasn't sure whether to feel uncontrollable warring anger or deep concern for his beaten up brother. Barkmeat sat on the other side, glaring at the tubby white and orange cat now and then.

"Barkmeat," Kimberly said, "let's give the two of them have a chance to talk."

The dog gave her a look: Are you _crazy_ child?

"Take my word: he'll be fine with Gordon. Let them be."

Barkmeat opened his mouth to protest, but Waffle petted him on the shoulder, smiled lopsidedly, and wordlessly shushed the canine up before he could start. Barkmeat hopped down from the chair and followed the girl out of the kitchen and into the room next door, muttering inaudible threats and concerns.

A long stretch of silence followed before Gordon said, "How bad off do ye feel?"

"It feels hard to breathe a little. My eye is throbbing. My stomach wants to move out, and my lower back feels like it's going to snap."

"Laddie, ye_ know_ if Mr. Blik was going to lash out like that I wouldn't have let it happen…right?"

Waffle nodded, which caused another wave of dizziness to come and go in a couple of seconds. "I do. It doesn't hurt as much as what he said though."

"What did he say?"

"That Barkmeat was a monster and I would find out."

"Well, laddie, Barkmeat doesn't _exactly_ have a clean slate."

"It's not true…Blik..."

"He was just…mad. He couldn't understand why you would be with Barkmeat given how he-"

"He said he would try not to."

"Mr. Blik doesn't believe that. He didn't know how to handle the situation."

"Clearly…"

"Waffle…about Barkmeat…"

"I don't care what you have to say about it. I like him. A LOT…"

"Yes, I was told it was mutual. Look I was _only_ mad because, well, when I saw…_what_ I saw…I got scared. I never thought ye would find an _interest_ in anyone honestly…you know what I mean by 'interest don't'cha?"

"I do."

"Good; and if the day did come, I wouldn't have _thought_ it be with…well, _him_. Nor did I think it would be _returned_. So, I wasn't sure how to approach it either."

"You wouldn't have _beaten_ me right?"

"Of course I would not have! Ye should know that I would do no such thing. But for the matter at hand…Kimberly told me about Barkmeat's past…about the-"

"The dog fights…"

"I see he already told ye; but yes, the dog fights…I sort of can understand why he turned out the way he did but…"

"He told me why he hates cats so much," Waffle said out of the blue.

Gordon blinked. When he didn't go on, he asked his brother what he meant.

"He hates cats because one left him behind," Waffle continued. "Yesterday, I snuck out with him and we ran into this huge dog named Retch. Retch dragged us to a dog fight. I saw someone die Gordon."

"Oh Waffle, why didn't…"

"Retch got me alone and badgered me about why Barkmeat would be friends with someone who had the name of the cat who tricked him." Waffle bit into his bottom lip, hard enough to make it bleed a little. "I…slipped up and revealed that I _was_ that cat. Turns out he had a hunch and wanted to make sure he was right. Barkmeat defended me…"

Gordon let this sink in. Barkmeat wasn't one to defend a cat…

"Later, when we came here, Barkmeat tried comforting me." Waffle smiled, Gordon noticed that it was brighter. "He was pretty stiff about it…well; he told me that night that a dog catcher almost caught him one other time. He was cornered and this cat was around and said would help him if he helped him in return, because he was being chased. Barkmeat did so, distracting the catcher from the cat. The cat double crossed him through and left Barkmeat to fend for himself. The cat didn't want to be found out. Barkmeat bit the dog catcher's leg and was able to elude him. He decided that all cats were no good and deserved to die. He started with that cat that tricked him."

"All cats…except for you…"

"Yeah, but I thought I _was_ a dog, so…he let it go."

Gordon nodded. "Barkmeat I feel is still…a walking bomb."

Waffle frowned, disappointed. "Anyone can change."

"I…suppose they can."

"Gordon…"

"What?"

"I'm still not changing my mind."

Gordon looked his brother over. Even with a swollen eye and bruises pattering his frame, Waffle still had that stubborn attitude. "You really want this? It's not something you're going to get bored with within a week, because relationships are serious Waffle."

"I want it."

"You're sure Barkmeat does, too?"

Waffle nodded.

"Well I…okay. If that's what you want."

"Does that mean you're okay with it?"

"No, I'm still on edge with it…but, I will be keeping a close eye on him and if he so much as-"

"Splee! Thank you Gordon!" Waffle jumped on his brother, crushing him in a hug, popping Gordon's eyes practically out. "Thank you, thank you, and thank you! But _wait_-"Waffle pulled back, brows down. "What're you going to do about _Mr. Blik_?"

Gordon smiled dimly. "Don't worry about him. He and I are going to have a long discussion about _things_."

"Okay, you do that and I'll go find Barkmeat."

Gordon watches his brother hop down and run and limp out of the room, calling for the said dog. His dim smile faltered, thinking about what Waffle told him he witnessed and about this Retch fellow. He doesn't know how to explain it, but he feels like Waffle left some major details about Retch out on purpose.


	15. Chapter 14

Fourteen

"NO, absolutely not!" screamed Mr. Blik from the blue couch where he was sitting on when Gordon came to find him, body erect with what he was informed of from Gordon.

"Mr. Blik-"

"You are _weak_! How _easy _you fall for those _sad, puppy eyes_ of his! Have you no _integrity_, no _pride_?"

Anger swelled up. "Oh, and there's pride in beating one's little brother with a _meat cleaver, fists, and kicks_? "

Semi guiltiness flashed and dissipated. "I…wasn't thinking."

"That's your _problem_-you NEVER think! This time you went_ too_ far."

"Like _you_ were any better; you _screamed_ at him! He at least expects that from _me_!"

"Yes, but at least I didn't _blacken his eye, cut his head with the counter, and bruising him like a banana!_" Gordon sighed, pulling on the stubs of his ears. "Mr. Blik…whether you _like it or not_ this is what is happening."

"How can you change your mind so quickly?" the stormy cat hollered.

"I talked it over with Waffle and he wants this!"

"Waffle wants a _lot_ of things but changes his mind in _five minutes_!"

"Not this time. Mr. Blik…Waffle isn't a child. Maybe we treated him like one for too long."

"No, that's what _you've_ been doing. I was keeping him in check and-"

"Slapping him around doesn't _qualify_ as treating him as a grown up."

"It doesn't matter. They're not allowed to be _around_ each other._ I_ won't allow it."

"_Yes_, you _will_ allow it. Or else _I'm_ going to smack _you_ around for a change."

"You _accept_ this?"

"_No_, I'm not _in love_ with the idea of Waffle being with Barkmeat, but…I _will_ give it a chance; and keep an _especially_ close eye on that dog."

…

The sun sunk down, casting the small town in night. The street lamps came on and the muffled talk and laughter coming from the neighboring houses seemed dull and pointless.

Waffle, whose black eye wasn't as swollen anymore, and Barkmeat were sitting on the backstop, the September nights starting to get chilly, fur rusting the tiniest bit from the incoming wind. Kimberly and her parents have long since gone to bed. Kimberly had school the next day, her dad had to get to work earlier to discuss important business notes, and her mom was ever the busy bee down in the market. So the two had alone time.

"I never heard the night so quiet," Barkmeat said. "The alleys are usually active on a twenty-four/seven routine, so…it's surprisingly nice."

"It's a little too quiet for me," Waffle said, "I like excitement more. In fact, I get a little out of it if something odd doesn't happen."

"Does something odd usually happen with you three?"

"Only like every other day. Like one time Mr. Blik cheated on this game and these giant slugs from another universe came and asked him to save their world. The game was a simulation on this rocket ship that kept zapping their planet. They thought Mr. Blik was their champion."

"And he's not, the _useless_ runt."

Waffle laughed. "Yeah, he's more of the champion of the _cheaters_; hazah!"

"I can't imagine how bad it can get for you three."

"Oh, there was this one time where we were having this high class dinner party and _I_ was in charge of the dip. I was the dip master! Only I got the _wrong_ cook book and ended up making dip that summoned the _dead_."

"Wow…I was _wrong_. It can _always_ get bad." Barkmeat laughed, asking what happened next.

"You should've seen how mad Blik was…" Waffle frowned. "He said some hurtful things and I couldn't help because I could only make things worse."

Barkmeat's claws itched to dig into that black cat, but he controlled it.

Waffle smiled suddenly. "I made him eat those words. I used my laser light show lasers and zapped those creepy dead folks to_ dust_; splee, happy ending for all! Then there was this other time when Gordon fought this legendary beast called Kraken and won so he could get a new, longer tail. Only, he gave the wish to Mr. Blik because the Kraken tried to kill us all and ate Mr. Blik's tail in the process!" Waffle scolded, taking Barkmeat by surprised. He's never seen the cat scold. "Mr. Blik can be such a_ jerk_ and Gordon-he's so _good_ to everyone around him. Mr. Blik wanted to leave Gordon _behind_ during the fight with the Kraken. I wouldn't let him because, well, he's my _brother_ darn it!"

"You're a good kid Waffle," Barkmeat said, ruffling the top of the cat's head, smirking.

Waffle brushed the fur back into place, only half annoyed, smirking himself now. "Yeah, well…you do what you do for love ones."

Barkmeat's smirk grew wider, one hand pressed to the back of the cat's head. "Would you do something for a love one right now?"

Waffle shrugged, poking fun. "I dunno…what would you like me to do?"

Barkmeat leaned in and Waffle closed his eyes. They flew back open however when something solid crashed into the two of them and sent them sprawling onto the back yard's lawn. Waffle laid there underneath a cursing Barkmeat, who was staggering to all fours. Waffle got to a partial sitting position as Barkmeat was still hovering over him, one violently shaking hand finding its way behind where his neck was.

"Waffle, are you okay?" Barkmeat managed.

"I think so…it was kind of hard to _breathe_ there. What _hit_ us?"

"I reckon it was a good size, solid chunk of wood, Waffle dear," Retch's mocking, cooing voice said.

Waffle was shoved behind Barkmeat; he craned his neck to see where Retch was. The said dog was standing on the back stoops, smiling at him. It would look like a well-rounded boy's smile, but the malice glint in the savage eyes gave him away. Retch gestured to the two with the plank of wood.

"Say, what happened to _you_ Waffle? Did Barkmeat think you needed to be kept in line?"

"Get on_ out_ of here Retch. I'll _kill_ you another night."

Retch tsk and proceeded towards the two. As he drew closer, Barkmeat and Waffle stepping back, Retch made small talk. "It's such a lovely night; perfect for a night out. What do you say Waffle?" Retch smiled, teeth unnaturally white and sharp, "Would you like to go for a stroll with Ol' Retch?"

"T-that's okay; I'm g-good."

Barkmeat, on the other hand, wasn't up for playing charades. He repeated his threat to the approaching dog to leave.

Retch only shook his head, that scissor smile still there. "Sorry Barkmeat but I'm not here for you tonight."

Barkmeat only snapped his teeth at him.

Retch sighed, like he genuinely felt bad about whatever it was he was about to do. "Very well…"

Waffle felt a rush of air and saw with large eyes as Barkmeat got the plank of wood smashed right into the side of his head, a sickening thud emanating from the connection, and watched, frozen, as the dog went tumbled across the lawn, coming to a rest only inches from where the base of the tree was.

"Well," Waffle snapped his attention back to Retch, "I expected more of a fight but I guess he's saving that for later." Grinning at the cat, he beckoned to him. "Are you coming willingly or not?"

Waffle answered by turning and running to where Barkmeat was. He didn't get far before Retch grabbed the scruff of fur around his neck, easily lifting him off his feet. Waffle yelped at the force, eyes glaring and fearful.

Retch tsk again. "Honestly, why do you _always_ persist to run?"

The last thing Waffle saw was Barkmeat stirring and looking up at him before Retch bashed the wood against the back of his head a second time, saw stars, than nothing but darkness.

Barkmeat surfaced in time to seek Retch knock Waffle out with that STUPID plank of wood. He tried getting to his feet, but a wave of nausea seized him and he collapsed onto his front. The next time he looked up, Retch was glaring down at him.

"Let this be a lesson you mangy mutt to never go against me. You'll know where I'll be" Then Retch lifted back his foot and kicked Barkmeat square in the face, knocking the dog out again.


	16. Chapter 15

Fifteen

It was Hovis who answered the pummeling knocks on the front doors that early morning; it was Hovis who saw the scared round face of Kimberly and the atom splitting explosion of anger on Barkmeat's face. It was Hovis who asked what in god's name could be the matter.

It was Kimberly who said in an out of breath voice, "Waffle's been kidnapped."

It was Hovis who woke and enacted Gordon and Mr. Blik's outrage that early morning.

…

The matter of Barkmeat coming along was still in the processing part.

By that, there was much arguing.

"You don't even know where this place is!" Barkmeat argued. "I do and will take you there if you will let me come along!"

"We wouldn't need to go there if you hadn't butted in with his life!" Mr. Blik shot back. he and Gordon were tossing swords and various other equipment.

"It was coincidental and that's not even the point here!"

"You're right," Gordon said, gritting teeth, "that's not the point. The point here is that I should not have bothered to give this a chance. Look how quick it backfired! No, we will go and you can stay here. When we come back-"

"If you come back…"

"What was that now?"

Barkmeat had that look that said 'are you as dumb as you look?' on. "What do you think you plan on doing when you get there huh? You plan to barge in, grab Waffle, and run right back out? Nah, you don't know Retch like I do."

"Then enlighten us," Blik said impatiently, "to who this Retch guy is."

"Retch is a wolf wearing sheep clothing. He will manipulate you into thinking he's this charming, polite, trustworthy guy only to turn around and pull the rug out from under your feet. If you ever cross into his bad side, you might as well say your prayers because before you know it your throat is chewed out." Barkmeat hesitated before saying, "He doesn't like being crossed nor does he like unfinished business."

"How would you know? We never heard of this guy; there was only your reputation heard," Gordon said.

Barkmeat glowered. "I know because he was the last dog I was to fight, but it got interrupted by the animal's rights group before we finished each other off. He made it clear before we separated that we would finish this match. The reason why you meat sacks haven't heard anything about him is because he usually patrols and terrorizes the alleys and streets on the other side of the tracks."

"Okay, so the real question is," Gordon said, "what does he want with Waffle?"

Barkmeat's face withdrawn and he sighed. "There are multiple reasons. You, tubby, found out that I was punished for befriending a cat, your brother, and when Retch found out through the grapevine that Waffle and I met up again, he is going to punish Waffle and me for 'fraternizing.'"

"You mean he's going to kill him."

"Check out the brains on _you_ tubby. But yes, he's going to kill him. It's not just over that either."

"What more can there be?" Gordon asked, exasperated.

"Waffle stabbed him in the eye…in defense of me."

"So this _is_ because of you!" Blik shouted from in the monster truck.

"I wasn't _out_ to get your brother killed!" To Gordon, Barkmeat said, "Retch won't stop at killing just Waffle. If you get caught by Retch, and you will without a _doubt_ be caught, he will _force_ Waffle to watch him kill you _first_."

"So what do you propose we do then?" Gordon demanded.

"Retch wants to fight me; so I'm going to give him what he wants. You two focus on getting Waffle out."

…

When Waffle came to, his sight focused on in the ceiling of a familiar ceiling. Shooting up to a sitting position, Waffle looked around and indeed found him to be in the fighting arena where those dogs were forced to fight to the death. He got to his feet, hearing the clinking of a chain. Looking down, he saw that a chain was hooked to his spike dog collar.

_I left this on Kimberly's table…he must've stopped to-he?_

"Ah good, you're awake," Retch said.

Waffle twisted around and saw the Mastiff push off from the side of the wooden fence, so as to keep the dogs in and the spectators out and walked leisurely up to the cat. There was a dirty rag wrapped across his left eye, a dark rustic stain evident, most likely because of the blood. for once, the massive dog wasn't smiling evilly or psychotically.

Waffle found himself wishing that Retch was smiling.

"Do you know where you are Waffle?"

Waffle blinked, confused at the seemingly pointless question. "We're at the…dog fighting place?"

"Are you answering me with a question? Never mind; we're sort of at the dog fighting place. Only this one hits a little more close to home. You see, I doubt very much that Barkmeat told you the identity of the dog he fought last." Retch stopped inches from Waffle, but still too close for Waffle's comfort. "Do you know who that dog was?"

Waffle shook his head, but had a sense of who it was now.

A small, creepy smile came to light. Retch gestured to himself. "That would be me. I hate to leave things unfinished too, so…I'm going to shoot two birds with one stone."

"I…don't understand."

Retch cupped Waffle's face, earning a small shiver. His smile grew a little wider. "It's quite simple dear Waffle…I'm going to get my revenge on _you_ for stabbing my eye out, then, when _Barkmeat_ gets here, I'm going to _force_ him to watch you get eaten alive. After _that_, I'm going to tear his throat out and call it a day. You understand now?"

Even though an ice cold blanket was wrapped around him, Waffle said, "But wouldn't that make three stones?"

"Come again?"

"You want your revenge on me; you want to make Barkmeat watch you eat me; then you want to fight him to the death; that makes three stones."

Retch face palmed himself and released Waffle's face, saying aggravatingly, "You idiot; it's a figure of speech. I don't mean stones literally."

At that point, a small groan was heard. Retch grinned and said, "Oh good, your opponent is awake."

"My…opponent…"

"It means exactly what it means." To the waking figure Waffle was just noticing across from him, also chained to a stake, "Yo, Bootsie is it?"

Waffle's insides jerked. "Bootsie…"

Now Retch's face was split completely into a toothy smile. "Yes, Waffle, your next door neighbor's cat. He'll be the one you're going to fight."

"I don't want to-"

"It's either you fight him," Retch jerked to Bootsie, who was completely standing now, "or you let him kill you. Either way, one of you is going to die today."

Retch turned to Bootsie. "Good morning to you flea bag."

Bootsie growled.

"You didn't think I didn't see you and Barkmeat dispatch this cat from your home did you Waffle? Bootsie, I am going to offer you a onetime deal."

"I'm listening," Bootsie said gravely.

"If you can beat him and kill him," Retch pointed to Waffle, "then I will let you walk out of here alive. What do you say big guy?"

Bootsie smiled wickedly. "He's a twig. This won't take long."

"Excellent"; Retch turned back to Waffle. "The choice is simple Waffle dear; kill or be killed."

Waffle watched Retch walk back to where he was at the beginning before turning to Bootsie, who lumbered up to him and was cracking his hands. "Bootsie, don't _listen_ to him! He's _lying_! He will kill you even if you _do_ kill me."

Bootsie scolded. "I'm not afraid of him; so what if he might be lying! I still want to get back at you for that kick to the face and I'm _certainly_ not going to die because of _you_. As for him, I can _easily_ beat him." Bootsie cracked his neck before saying one last thing, "Meet your maker kitty."

Retch could only laugh as Bootsie made the first attack.


	17. Chapter 16

Sixteen

It was noon time by the time the two cats, Hovis, and Barkmeat (Gordon had told Kimberly to go on home until they returned) arrived outside the place where Retch told Barkmeat where to expect him. Blik cut the engine; Barkmeat just stared at the rundown, abandoned small building.

Gordon looked between him and the building. "So this is where you had to fight day in and day out."

"Yes."

"How…horrible was it?"

"You mean how horrible was it to _have_ to kill someone? How their blood was spilt? How, right now, Waffle is in the one place he _shouldn't_ be and with one _demon_ I never wanted him to _meet_? On a scale one to ten, this counts as an easy one hundred."

"Barkmeat…"

"Let's go. The _sooner_ we get him _out_ the better."

…

The further the two cats and Hovis were lead down the hall by Barkmeat, the louder the wails became. When he realized who was wailing and crying, Barkmeat ran ahead, forgetting about the other two cats, which came running after him. The three darted into a room, the last one on the left, and stopped short at what they were seeing.

There was an opening in the circular pinup area and when the trio entered the arena, the three immediately spotted Waffle; squatting and rocking back and forth, his body wracked with the most heart wrenching sobs heard. Ruddy red blood matted his fur down, painting a portion of his face, running from his fingertips up to the crook of his elbows in it. From several inches from him was the body of a cat thrown at an awkward and unnatural angle, his head turned to the three, who saw that his neck was torn open.

Gordon and Mr. Blik recognized this cat almost instantly. "Mr. Blik, is that who I think it is?" Gordon asked, barely above a whisper.

Wild laughter brought their attention away from the lifeless Bootsie and across the arena to where Blik and Gordon saw a mad Mastiff. They assumed it to be Retch.

Retch applauded. "Woo-hoo, that had to have been the best fight I've seen in years. Hey Barkmeat," Retch's erotic eyes darted to the three, "did you know your boyfriend can _actually_ put up a _heck_ of a fight? It's too_ bad_ he isn't a dog, I would've _loved_ to use this to my advantage."

Barkmeat ignored Retch and walked over to Waffle, who was muttering inaudible words.

Barkmeat caught them still.

"I'm so sorry…so sorry…he was…I had to…or I-oh god…oh god…it won't come off."

Barkmeat placed a hesitant hand on Waffle's shoulder, bring the traumatized cat from his thoughts, eyes widening a fraction. "Barkmeat-"

Barkmeat hugged him as if he was going to drown if he let go. "I'm sorry Waffle that I didn't come in time," he whispered.

Retch watched this scene play on with a look of bemusement. "I have to say Waffle…I wasn't expecting you to go through with it. Waffle…_Waffle_… why does that _name _sound so familiar?"

"I thought you already knew," Barkmeat barked out harshly. "Remember, you suspected him of being that cat? And that you heard his name at the park…"

"Yes, yes, I know," Retch snapped, now serious. "I know I heard the name somewhere else before…where though…" the Mastiff shrugged. "Aw well…it's not important I suppose." Retch smiled once more. "The _last_ time I ever saw a cat fight like _that_ though….that was four _years_ ago. She was such a _beauty_ too…you know, for a _cat_. Her name was pretty too. What was her _name_ damn it...oh… that's right. Her name was _Audrey_ and boy did she have a _scream_ one could listen to all day."

Waffle jumped up out of Barkmeat's arms, the dog quickly getting to his feet. Waffle's face was horrified and angry at the same time, not exactly a good mix. "_What_ did you say her _name_ was?"

"Why, does the name mean something to you?"

"Just tell me what her name was again!" Waffle snapped.

"I said her name was Audrey, this calico cat who lived in…wait, wait, wait a second now," Retch was busting a gut, "_don't_ tell me she was your _mother_? That is too _good_ to hear! Looks like her fighting streak rubbed off onto you and, I'm taking a guess that those must be your _brothers_, those _other_ two cats. This just _made_ my day!"

Waffle slumped back down. "Waffle-"Barkmeat started.

Waffle bit at his fingers. "We never knew what_ happened_ to her. I…"

"It explains where I heard your name," Retch went on, "She said three names before croaking. Let's see, there was-"

"Feel my sting!" Retch felt hooked claws rake his face, issuing a howl from him. Gordon clung to his face, hooking and unhooking his claws as though he was meaning to shred Retch's face right off. There was an uncharacteristically wrath expression from the pudgy cat.

Retch, after several flailing moments, took Gordon from the waist and tossed him aside. Waffle looked up in time to see his brother skid to a stop in front of him and Barkmeat. "Gordon!" Barkmeat unhook Waffle's collar so the cat can kneel beside the cursing brother.

"Gordon-"

Gordon spit. "I'm all right. I'll be peachy as soon as I see him dead."

Retch laughed crudely. "Right, right, you keep fantasizing about that. As for you," he turned to a petrified Mr. Blik, "you must be Mr. Blik, the oldest right? Audrey was mighty desperate to get home to the three of you. It made all the more fun to watch her writhe."

Gordon started for Retch, but Waffle and Barkmeat held him back. "Don't do it," Waffle pleaded.

Retch leaped in front of Waffle, Gordon, and Barkmeat, and yanked Waffle up off his feet by his ears. Waffle tried prying his fingers off while Retch bellowed at Barkmeat, "I told you not to _undermine_ me shrimp! Now you can watch as I _devour_ the one you so stupidly decide to _adore_!"

Retch opened his mouth wide and went to snap his jaws around Waffle's neck, but the grey cat forced the jaws to stay open. As an added help, Waffle kicked good and hard into Retch. The brute released Waffle, Barkmeat rushing forward and catching him on time. As Retch hunched over, rubbing where he was kicked, Barkmeat clamped his own muscled jaws around the thigh of the one he hates and pulled Retch to the ground.

Retch collapse to the ground, growling and snapping at Barkmeat. Waffle saw Retch bite into Barkmeat's shoulder and ran over to the dueling dogs. As Retch looked up, Waffle did the only thing he could think of: he dug his thumb into Retch's bad eye, dug it in deep. Retch screamed and released Barkmeat, who thudded to the ground.

Waffle, it was like getting tackled by a running, uprooted mountain. Groaning, Retch's weight heavy, Retch wasted no time in biting into Waffle's shoulder. The grey feline barely registered the fact that Gordon and Blik were trying to pull Retch off of him, but they were easily smacked away when Retch released him to do so. Waffle didn't need to feel how badly Retch bit into him; it was all over Retch's muzzle and he could feel the blood literally drain from him.

His vision started fading in and out as Barkmeat's hazy form shot into view and tackling Retch away.

Barkmeat wrestled Retch to the ground, trying and failing to reach the son of a gun's neck. Retch tossed him off and settled himself onto the squirming and foaming pit-bull mix, spatting at him: "You lose, accept it!"

Barkmeat spits into Retch's one good eye. He wiped it away, opening his mouth and went in for the last move-

BANG!

Barkmeat watched with confused and shocked eyes as a red bloom soaked through Retch's chest, the Mastiff staring down at it in numbness. Retch glared down weakly at Barkmeat, opened his mouth as though to say something, but ended up closing it. Barkmeat watched wordlessly and expressionlessly as Retch slumped off to the side. Barkmeat shoved him the rest of the way off and stared for what felt like a long time at the dying body.

Barkmeat didn't tear his eyes away until he saw the light dull from Retch's one last eye.

"There, that's that now," Hovis said.

Barkmeat turned and saw the butler come walking towards them, trailed by the unmistakable employee of the pound. The employee must've been fairly new, for he looked about ready to be sick. He turned his head around next to find Waffle, but Gordon and Mr. Blik's bodies blocked him from view.

"Is Waffle okay?" Barkmeat asked, concerned as he stood shakily to all fours. "Will he be able to walk out of here?"

"Barkmeat," Gordon said, his words hitching; Barkmeat didn't need to see tubby to know his emotion, "Waffle isn't breathing."


	18. Epilogue

Epilogue

December

Barkmeat hates cold months. It makes the pain in his heart that much colder.

The last two months have been hell. Waffle was gone, Kimberly was out with Gordon, giving him as much comfort a nine year old child can give, and Hovis has many chores to get done before the heavy snow hits. So Barkmeat was left to deal. He certainly wasn't going to stoop so low as to go and talk to _Mr. Blik_, who has been even _moodier_ lately.

What happened two months prior had _not_ lightened the tension between the dog and black cat; needless to say.

Which suited the dog fine; Barkmeat still hated Blik for what he did to Waffle.

Waffle…thinking about him was like rusty scissors cutting through his heart. It hurt like a bitch just being in his room…

Speaking of which…

Barkmeat recalled back to the time when Gordon confronted him outside the hospital as he shifted through Waffle's things in the closet as a mindless attempt at having something to do.

_Barkmeat was standing off to the side away from everyone-Hovis and Mr. Blik that was-thinking and doing something he thought he never would have to do again-preying. He was so immersed in these thoughts he did not notice Gordon walk up to him until he tapped him on the shoulder._

"_What, come to blame me for this too?" he barked, voice gravely and exhausted._

"_No I…despite how _uncomfortable-_"_

"_That's a nice way to put it."_

"_Despite how _uncomfortable _I was with you and Waffle," Barkmeat flinched, Gordon continuing on as though he wasn't interrupted, "I'm _glad_…that you were there. I think it could've ended up tragically."_

"_Yeah, well," the dog huffed, looking away, "this _doesn't_ count as tragic to you?"_

Barkmeat shuddered. The cat hadn't talked to him since and Barkmeat figured Gordon wouldn't let him come inside so he snuck in practically whenever he could each day, spending hours looking over the same items each day. He even said hello to Gomez and the other newts even though he felt idiotic for doing so.

It was just another way to remind him of Waffle…

Darn it, even thinking his name caused a new sea of guilt to wash around in him.

Voices outside in the hallway brought Barkmeat back to reality and as they drew closer, the dog hid in the closet, closing it so only a crack was allowed. He peered out and waited.

Waffle's bedroom door open just as Barkmeat opened the closet door. For a second, all the canine could do was stand there and watch as the new comer walk over to the bed and sit down on it. Barkmeat remained silent until his eyes met his.

Waffle smiled widely, obviously happy. "Barkmeat-"

Barkmeat didn't let him finish. He pushed the cat down onto his bed, kissing him over and over. Waffle laughed and squirmed, which lightened Barkmeat's mood, and when Waffle hugged him, scratching behind the dog's ear, it made things all the much better.

"Welcome home," Barkmeat whispered to him, having a whole new respect for the dog catcher and hospitals. If Hovis didn't call the dog catcher; if the dog catcher hadn't acted when he did; if they hadn't gotten to the hospital in time…

Waffle kissed him and lay back, grinning. "I missed you." He frown the tiniest bit. "Are you…okay now? You're not still guilty are you, because it's-"

Barkmeat shut him up with another kiss, this one he took his time with. When he pulled back, he was smiling that cocky smile he usually has on. He massaged Waffle's stripe ear.

"I've never been better."

**Author's note**: Yeah…definitely my first shot as you can probably tell XD All in all I like how it came out, but like I said I'm open to constructive criticism. No flames or haters because those just suck.

I realize that Waffle may seem _serious_ throughout this story than he would be _normally_, I think he _would_ be awkward though if he were to run into Barkmeat again, but he has had his _bright_ moments. Barkmeat probably could've been a _bit_ more in denial/less receptive to the idea he might _care_ about Waffle in _any way_, all though it sure did seem like he did during those screen shots. Which is _one_ of the reasons why I wrote this, the other being that I find this pairing to be cute and kind of funny… My opinion though…

I hope you did enjoy reading it. It'll be my only one for a while because I did this at the end of the school year and the school days are down to the single digits. Our internet is down right now so I did it during school. Hopefully we'll get it up this summer. Hopefully being the key word…

Again, I hope you enjoyed the story.

Characters belong to Doug TenNapel


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